Paralyzer
by Anthony Stark
Summary: Roy's a rock star, Ed's a disinterested gay teen, and Roy wants him. Ed's father is abusive, Ed's halfway suicidal, and bands always want new members. Rated M for later chapters
1. Prologue The Concert

(A/N: I do not own FMA, I am simply writing a new, fresh version of events within that story, and giving an opinion. Please, do not sue me, I live in a trailer…..so…I won't be able to pay you, the only thing of value I have is my Edward Elric plushy and I'm not giving him up! Thank you.)

Paralyzer

_Screams and shouts rent the air, which buzzed as though full of static electricity, people leapt up and down in their seats as the opening cords to the band's new song "Paralyzer" blasted through the huge speakers mounted all over the concert hall._

1 hour earlier

"I don't want to….come on, Win! I don't want to…what's so great about this guy and his band anyway? What? That doesn't make any sense…I know…yeah…a once in a lifetime chance." Edward Elric was sprawled across his bed, his long unbound hair hung off the bed, and a grimace marred his features as Winry Rockbell, his best friend since he was two, gabbed at him on the phone, squealing like the fan girl she was.

She had gotten tickets to see the band "Alchemists of Flame" and wanted him, Edward, to go with her to see their concert. He had never liked the band, and wasn't all that impressed with the supposedly gorgeous lead singer Roy Mustang. Edward was dead set on refusing to go, and he was opening his mouth to say this when she slowed her rapid speech, and said something quiet and calm,

"But then….if you don't go, I could just let slip that you're gay to your mom…" Edward's mouth snapped shut, and he pulled the phone away to glare at the mouthpiece before sighing, and sitting up to listen to the silence on the line.

"Fine," He growled at last, running his fingers through his hair, "I'll go with you…what time?" Winry's squeal of delight made Edward wince.

"Seven! I'll have my mom come get you!!" she hung up, and Edward sighed again, pressing the phone back into its cradle, he stared at the floor by his feet, and grimaced.

"Crap…I don't want to…." He pouted, but he knew that Winry really would tell his mother, and he didn't want Mrs. Elric finding out, because she'd tell his father, and Alphonse, his little brother would hassle him to no end.

He stood up, stretching his shoulders, and strode into the small bathroom attached to his room, staring into the mirror, he toyed with a strand of his hair, watching the silky gold hairs slide through his fingers, he cocked his head to the side, chewing thoughtfully on his lip, before he snatched his brush off the counter and began to tug it through the tangles in his hair.

He dropped the brush, and began to rummage through his dresser in the other room, searching out his favorite clothes, clothes he wasn't allowed to wear at school if he wanted to be on time for P.E.

He sighed as he pulled the snug, perfectly fitted, skintight leather pants over his hips, then a plain black tank top, over which he buckled a black over shirt trimmed in white. He bent and pulled on his black combat boots, the soles of which were blood red, and slipped his arms into the soft material of his red trench coat. He pulled his hair free, and began to braid it, his fingers weaving the bright silky golden strands together, and tying them with a red hair tie.

Edward flopped back on his bed, and rolled his eyes at the ceiling, glancing at the clock his eyes widened, it was already six forty five, Winry sure was cutting it close if the concert started at seven. He heard the horn as the thought went through his head, and leapt to his feet, dashing down the stairs, he waved at his mom, "Bye!!" He didn't even answer her question of "where are you going?" but sprinted out the door, and slid into the back seat of Winry's mother's car.

"Hey, Win." He said as the car took off, he pulled his seat belt on as Winry peered at him owlishly from the front seat,

"You look good…" She murmured, as if surprised, he blushed,

"Um…thanks…" He muttered in reply, looking confused, he stared out the window. When they arrived he opened his door, waved to Winry's mom, and stepped into the crowd, Winry was by his side in an instant. She grabbed his hand, and he allowed her to drag him through the crowds to the front doors. Surprisingly, they were the first ones through, handing their tickets over to the man at the door, Winry ran to the doors into the theatre, handing Ed his ticket stub as he hurried behind her, feeling rushed by the crowd behind them.

She dragged him into his front row seat, and settled herself elegantly into her own; he flopped into his, already exhausted. He straightened his jacket, settling more easily into his chair, and watching the motionless stage.

He began to tap his foot impatiently, causing other fans filing into their seats to shoot him angry looks, but he paid them no mind. He continued to let his eyes wander in boredom around the concert area.

Roy Mustang ran his fingers through his short black hair, making it stand up in a few places for a moment before it settled back into his favorite messy hairstyle. He settled back into the folding chair he'd chosen for his own in the waiting area back stage, his band mates all hovered about, laughing and talking nervously. Riza Hawkeye, the only woman in Roy's band, stood beside his chair, her body stiff in its casing of blue fabric, a mock military uniform, which curved out into a skirt with petticoats, and she looked extremely stable for someone wearing eight-inch heels.

"You're calm, aren't you Roy?" Roy glanced up with a smirk as Jean, another band mate who was tapping his foot nervously, spoke.

"I am," Roy said, grinning, "It's not like this is our first show." He leaned forward, looking up at his best friend since the ninth grade, Maes Hughes, his smirk softened, "This is what we've been waiting for, and I'm going to take it!" He yelled over the sound of the audience, which had just begun screaming its excitement.

He stood up, turning to the stage entrance, his band hastened to follow, and Roy grinned as he stepped into the swirling spotlights.

Edward was swept up in the roar of the crowd, and before he knew it, he was standing at Winry's side, smiling and joining his voice to the excited screams that made the whole theater echo. The lights went down, and he could vaguely make out four figures taking up their places in the gloom of the stage. The lights came up, and the guitarist brought his hand across the chords, making the hall ring so loudly that the screams died down to hear.

"That's Jean!!" Winry shouted in Ed's ear, he rolled his eyes, but he really was interested. He let his eyes sweep over Havoc and nodded appreciatively, then his eyes flickered to the bass player as she struck up her first chord, adding it to the quieting atmosphere Jean had created. Ed let has gaze sweep past her as the vocalist stepped forward, and he let himself focus on that man, searching from his black hair and dark blue eyes, to his long lithe looking form, searching for a reason to swoon.

"Hello! We are the Alchemists Of Flame! And we're honored to be here with you in Central City!" It was then that Edward realized why Winry was crushing on this man, his voice was sultry and smooth, but deep and masculine, making Ed shiver in his leather clothing.

As soon as Roy finished speaking the entire band pressed its mouths to each individual mic, and a collective note drifted into the audience, Edward gasped at the beautiful harmony, then the drummer, a man named Maes, let his sticks fly, hitting the drums in dexterous flicks and flourishes, and the guitar and bass started up.

Roy grabbed his mic, and let his voice flow, the words were familiar, but still new to him, because they hadn't even released this song yet.

"I hold on so nervously to me and my drink I wish it was coolin' me, but so far has not been good, it's been shitty and I feel awkward as I should." His voice was almost drowned out by the screams, and as he got near the chorus, he let his eyes wander; searching for a face he could focus on for the show.

Edward pushed the feeling away, that man wasn't all that much to look at anyway, and Edward already had a boyfriend, a rough teen named Russell Tringham, Ed flopped back into his seat, sprawling a little, and stared off to the side of the stage, his attention captured by a small burn mark on the far wall. He would not watch this man as the rest did, he would listen, because listening was what he'd come for.

Roy bit back a gasp, almost stumbling over his lyrics as his eyes caught on those of a boy sitting four seats from the center of the theater, his gold orbs not even focused on the stage. He was lounging in the small theater seat, dressed in red and black, his eyes half closed, and focused to the right of the stage, his lean body relaxed, and his hair, which was long and blond, was in a neat braid, hanging over one muscular shoulder.

Roy watched this boy, barely conscious of how easily the lyrics still flowed from his lips, he wanted that boy, more than anything, he wanted _that boy_ to look at him, to watch him with the awe and excitement that sparkled in every other pair of eyes in the theater.

Edward let his wandering eyes drift closed, listening as the music changed, a new song building up, placing new images in his head that he knew would have him writing for days. He could see characters interacting in his mind, battles and dragons….He smiled.

Roy couldn't tear his gaze from the boy, who's eyes were closed now, and Roy could see a small smile curving his lush lips upward. He sighed into the mic tiredly, the eighth song finally ending on his breath, and he waved to his fans,

"Alright, put your hands together for a very talented singer and bass player, Riza!" He took Riza's bass as she stepped forward, and slipped the strap over his shoulder, letting her smooth instrument rest against his body, he slipped her pick between his teeth, and stepped back to her place on the stage, setting his fingers against the chords as she pressed her mouth to the mic.

"You, change your mind like a girl changes clothes," She began, her voice lilting upward, the crowd quieted, loving her lyrics, Roy knew for a fact that she had written it about a man she'd been dating, and had since broken up with. "Yeah you PMS like a bitch, I would know."

Edward blinked, staring up at the new singer, his smile widened, and he finally allowed Winry to pull him to his feet, she grabbed his hands and they half danced half watched the show together. They were mouthing the words together, it was the one song Ed really truly liked, and he knew all the words. Winry was grinning, having the time of her life, and Edward for once was happy he'd come.

Roy glanced up from the bass strings and nearly gasped, the teen had risen from his seat, and was smiling and laughing with the blond girl he'd been sitting next to, and his smile was the most gorgeous thing Roy had ever seen. Roy wanted nothing more than to be that girl, dancing with the gold-eyed beauty that seemed only to like Riza's music.


	2. chapter 1: A surprising day

(A/N: I do not own FMA, I am simply writing a new, fresh version of events within that story, and giving an opinion. Please, do not sue me, I live in a trailer…..so…I won't be able to pay you, the only thing of value I have is my Edward Elric plushy and I'm not giving him up! Thank you.)

Edward stared blearily at his computer screen, rubbing his gold eyes occasionally, he read and reread the words he'd typed, searching for mistakes, or good phrases, making sure it was perfect. He leaned back in his chair with a tired sigh, it was four in the morning, and he had school in three hours, he groaned at the thought and pushed his chair out from under his desk, and stretched his arms out, before standing up, and slouching over to his bed, he flopped across it, not bothering with blankets, and fell asleep.

"So, Edo-kun, I heard you got to go see the Alchemists Of Flame, was it totally awesome?!" Edward grimaced at Russell, but leaned up and kissed him tiredly,

"No, it sucked…but I got a lot of inspiration, for the new story, you know? want to come by after school and read what I've written?" Russell slipped into his desk beside Ed, and shrugged,

"I guess, just another excuse to walk you home, my dear." He laughed, and Ed's grimace grew more pronounced.

"Whatever…" He muttered, stifling a yawn, "I'll meet you by the side gate…the one closest to my street." He straightened his back as the teacher entered the class room, and resisted the urge to rub his eyes as Mr. Hughes started writing out the days lesson.

"Today's journal entry is a free write, please write whatever you wish to fill the page, and then we'll get on with our other work." He said this in a goofy way, his personality was one of the main reasons that the entire Junior class was vying for a spot in his English class. Edward flipped open the notebook that held his journal entries, and scrawled 'Free Write' across the top of the page. He flipped back to the last free write they'd had, and read the last few sentences, before starting on his new entry, continuing the story he was letting flow onto the lined pages.

When the class was done with their journals, they endured a long ten minutes of Hughes gabbing about his three year old daughter, before the real lesson began.

Edward sighed at the homework, 'Write an essay expressing your views on war and how the Military is handling our country' and stood, hooking his arm through Russell's, and headed toward the cafeteria, his stomach growling loudly.

"So, Russ, how'd your weekend go?" He asked, his boyfriend raised a questioning eyebrow, "

"What's the point, Ed, you're too tired to listen anyway." Edward hung his head,

"I guess you're right…" He muttered, flopping in an empty seat, and waving Russell away to get their lunch. He lay his head on the table, his arms hanging limply at his sides, he stared dully off to the side until Russell returned, setting two trays of typical cafeteria food on the table, and leaned down to give Ed a quick kiss before he settled into his own chair.

"So…stay up late last night writing, Edo?" Russell asked, his eyebrows raised,

"Yeah…I emailed the latest three chapters to you…at about 5:30 in the morning." He sighed, "I'm quite proud of these ones." He sat up and dragged his tray over to him, lifting the milk carton with a grimace, "Russell…why'd you get me milk?" He turned to look at his boyfriend, but Russell was gone, running across the room, his tray held in his hands. Ed rolled his eyes, stood up and slouched over to the trashcan, dropping the unopened carton into the dark bag, he returned to his lunch.

The rest of the school day was uneventful, he play wrestled with Russell in P.E. but they got in trouble, and then he was trudging home slowly, still extremely tired.

He slumped on his bed, his eyes wandering to his computer, but he forced himself to lay down, slipping into unconsciousness quickly.

When he woke up he ignored his computer once more, and decided to take a walk, he took the stairs two at a time, and left the house after glancing at the clock. 4:28 pm.

Roy stared at Riza as she lounged on the tour bus, they were headed to a meet and greet, it was 2:30 in the afternoon, and he'd been trying to puzzle out why she was more interesting to that blond than he was. He chewed on his lip subconsciously going over her singing.

"Would you quit it Roy?! You're bothering me!" She finally barked out, turning to glare at him, he tore his eyes away, staring out the window,

"Sorry…" he muttered, watching the scenery without actually seeing it at all.

He tromped off the bus when they arrived at the meet and greet, and plopped into his chair with a frustrated sigh, not looking forward to signing autographs all day. He spent the entire time searching for the blond boy that had so captured his attention, but he didn't show.

It didn't end up taking the whole day, it only lasted until about four, and then he was back on the bus, headed back to their separate hotel rooms, and he was staring out the window as the bus pulled into the parking lot, his head snapped up, and he stared in shocked awe, there he was! Walking right past the hotel! Roy jumped off the bus as soon as it stopped, and raced after the teen, who'd been completely oblivious to the bus, and was wearing headphones, the big, sound-block-out kind.

Ed spun around as someone tapped his shoulder, he jumped back a little to give himself an advantage over his attacker, but the man was just standing there, pushing his jet black hair out of his dark eyes, Ed calmed, and pulled his headphones off, Korn blared out of them, and he didn't bother turning it down. The man straightened, and blinked at Edward, saying very intelligently,

"uh…"

Roy searched for something to say, embarrassed by his first attempt, he opened his mouth again,

"Hello, I do believe I saw you, at the concert." He finally said.

Edward blinked, "Oh, yeah…I went to the concert…it was…great…" The inflection on his voice obviously meant otherwise, "I can't say I noticed you though…" He finished.

Roy bristled, but he kept it under control,

"Hmm, is that so…well, would you like a cold drink?" He held out his hand, "My room it just up those stairs."

Edward stared at the man's hand, pondering, well, he could get himself out of any trouble this man could cause, or so he thought, he shrugged, and took the offered hand. "Sure…"

Roy grinned, turning toward the stairs, and walking up them calmly, holding gently to the teen's hand, he unlocked the door, and showed him inside. It was a master suite, with everything any rock star could need, and he could tell the boy was impressed.

"Wow!!" Edward gasped, his face was that of an amazed child as he took in the huge T.V. and the full sized fridge. The man walked to the fridge, and pulled out a Dr. Pepper, he held it out to Ed, who took it distractedly, turning slowly in a circle to look at the room.

"Sit down, would you?" Roy said softly, sitting on the bed and gesturing that the boy do the same, when he was settled beside Roy, the man spoke,

"So, What's your name, then?" Roy asked, truly curious.

"Hmm? Oh, it's Edward." Ed replied, cracking open his soda, he glanced the man up and down, _hmm, not bad… _he thought, then he blushed, embarrassed to have been thinking that.

Roy didn't give his name in return, he let his eyes linger on the teen's clothes, a pair of rather tight jeans, and a T-shirt, he'd had a fun time of staring at the tight little butt inside those jeans as he walked behind him.

"So, Edward, I have a question for you, do you find me attractive?" He lowered his eyelids slightly, smiling seductively,

The teen gulped, blushing bright red,

"Um….y-yes, I do…" He finally answered, Roy grinned,

"Well, Edward, what would you like to do about that?" He raised one eyebrow, placing his hand on Ed's leg, the boy fidgeted nervously,

"W-well, um, I-I don't…I…what do y-you want to d-do about it?" Ed shot back, his nerves making him stutter, he felt stupid, but a haze of lust was building up inside him as the man's hand slid between his legs and rubbed at the zipper of his pants.

"Well, why don't I show you, Edward?" The man pushed him down on the bed, and unbuttoned Ed's pants, pulling them down, and pulling his boxers down as well, Ed felt the man's hand resting gently atop his no longer flaccid penis.


	3. Chapter 2: Strange Happenings

Chapter 2: Strange happenings

Edward gasped, his fingers clutched at the bedding, and he threw his head back out of reflex alone,

"Wh-what are you doing?!" His yell came out a moan as the man leaned down, letting his hot mouth envelope Ed's member, "Uhn…." He moaned again, and the man sat up, licking his lips,

"I'm Roy, by the way." He said, with a small smirk, his hand continued to massage Edward, "Now, how about we finish this conversation later?" He pushed Edward back, and lifted his now naked legs, his hands lingered on the cold metal of Ed's left leg, it was automail up to his knee, Edward blushed,

"I…I was in an accident when I was young…" He said, not looking at Roy at all. Roy shrugged, and unzipped his pants, pressing his body between Edward's legs, and pushing his cock inside the smaller man. Edward winced, his eyes closed, it was rough, and dry, without lubrication or protection. He wanted to protest, but all he could do was clench his teeth in pain. Roy leaned over him, grinning, his eyes hazy, Edward pulled back, his nose wrinkled in angry disgust, he struggled to escape from under the cloying heat beneath Roy's body.

He finally got out from under the larger man, and snagged his clothes from the floor, pulling his pants on, Roy leaned forward, raising his eyebrows,

"What are you doing? Where do you think you're going?" He asked, Edward was groping behind him for the doorknob,

"I'm leaving!" Edward growled shakily, Roy's eyebrows went even farther upward in surprise,

"Why? You went to my concert, you're obviously a fan, any other member of that audience would kill to be here with me!" Roy burst out, he sounded full of himself, it made Edward grimace,

"I'm not any other member of that audience! You want to fuck a fan, go find one of them!" Edward wrenched the door open, and flung himself through it, taking off down the road, and leaving his MP3 player behind.

"….And the contest starts today!!" Russell's voice cut through Edward's thoughts,

"Hmm?" He asked, looking up, Russell sighed in exasperation,

"Alchemists of flame! They're having a contest and….I'm so excited!! I signed you up already!!" Edward shuddered, unsure of how to react to Russell's words.

"What? What's…what's it for…?" He answered automatically, questions the unbothered Ed would ask sprouting from his plush lips.

"Well…they're looking for a new member!!" Russell was bouncing around Edward in excitement, he seemed totally enamored with the band, especially with Roy… Ed knew that Russell had posters of Roy on his walls, he shuddered again. "Ed, are you listening?!" Ed blinked and nodded,

"Sure" he murmured, Russell seemed to pass Edward's awkwardness off as excitement, dazed to be signed up to try out for Alchemists of Flame, and he prattled on, Ed struggled to pay more attention to what was coming out of Russell's mouth.

"Anyway, they want multitalented musicians, and you're multitalented, what with your Keyboard, and your ability on Guitar, not to mention your singing, it's amazing!!" Edward blushed, Russell pecked him on the cheek, "Now, I have to go get your keyboard, so I'm skipping sixth, because the try outs start right when school ends! So, meet me out front!" Russell trotted off to ditch class, and get the piano imitator, while Edward ambled into class sadly, what was he going to tell Russell?

"Russ, hey…we have a problem, what music did you think I should do?" Ed was sitting in the front seat of Russell's van, his electric guitar balanced on his lap, his amp was in the back, along with his keyboard, and a dismantled set of drums, "I can only play one instrument at a time." Russell turned to Edward, smiling, he held up two fingers as the van idled at a red light,

"You can play _two_" He waggled his fingers cutely, "Your guitar, and," He paused for effect, Edward swatted his fingers away, "Your voice." Ed nodded,

"Then why did you bring drums?" He asked, Russell laughed,

"I'm playing drums for you, silly. I know every song you've written, and I think that 'Welcome Home' will be the best to play, or 'Six Days' except Cray might be late."

Edward sighed, "What else?" he asked at last, he wouldn't need the keyboard for either of those, because Cray ((A/N: Cray is an OC)) had a sound board that had the beats for Six Days in it, and Welcome home had guitar and drums. Russell grinned,  
"Well, Speeding Cars is one of your best songs, and…Colorblind is so beautiful, each person gets to do two songs, maybe three if they like you, so…it's your call." Edward shook his head, he didn't want to try out in front of Roy, that would make him very uncomfortable, and he didn't know how to explain himself to Roy, it would seem he wanted to be around him… Russell's next words broke into his thoughts,

"Wow, think about it…I'll be involved with a Star!!" Ed could see the adorable fawning look in Russ's eyes that had originally attracted him to the other teen, and sighed,

"Hmm, I love you Russ." He said, his eyes lighting up, Russell blushed, maneuvering the van into a parking spot, and leaning over to hug Edward close,

"Love you too, Ed." He whispered, Ed felt a spark of hope within his chest, and once Russ let go, he slid out of the car, and clutched his guitar to his back while Russ checked them in on the list. He was opening the back door of the van when Russell flounced back to his side, "We don't need the amp, or the drums, only the guitar and keyboard." Edward held his prized, but battered, fender guitar close to his chest,

"Can you get the piano?" He asked, stroking his guitar, Russ nodded, and pulled the instrument from the van, Ed slammed the back closed, and they headed for the entrance.

Lights…bright…blinding… Edward slid his fingers over the guitar strings lightly, drawing a whisper of sound from the amplifier they'd hooked him up to, he'd been standing in line for over an hour, waiting for them to get to his name in their alphabetical list.

Now he stood amidst the lights on a stage that made him feel tiny and insignificant, and he heard the reassuring sounds of Russell on drums behind him, he'd heard other performances, they hadn't been all that good, Edward wetted his lips and focused his gaze on Roy, sitting smugly in the front row, unaware that Russell would kill him if he approached Ed again, fan or not, and Edward struck the first cord.

A/N: Sorry it's short, I'm working on the next chapter now, I've been sucked into my story's charm once again, look forward to better, hopefully, chapters.


	4. chapter 3: Colorblind

A/N: please review, and if you do, I'll try my hardest to keep updating regularly as I am now. Thank you.

I do not own any songs that I am naming and quoting in here, if you haven't heard

"Colorblind" Counting crows

"Welcome home" By Coheed and Cambria,

"Six Days" ((From Tokyo Drift))

"Speeding cars" by Imogen Heap,

"Time is Running out" By muse,

I suggest you listen to all of them, I'll always put the names of the songs in the author note, so…yeah.

Chapter 3: Colorblind

_We begin in an amphitheater, Edward stands on stage, guitar in hand, lights shining down upon him from all angles, lighting him up with gold, beautiful. Perfect. Ready to take this chance. _

"You may begin!" Roy's voice rang out through the empty seats, reaching Edward easily, and Ed turned deliberately to look at Russell. The taller boy tapped out their beat on the drums, counting down, and then, Edward began to play. His fingers flicked across the strings, drawing beauty from the loud noise of electricity escaping the amplifier.

Russell's drumbeats accentuated each note, and, after the introductory chords, Ed leaned forward, his lips touched the microphone in an almost loving caress, and he began to sing.

The words were rough, almost angry, but his voice was sleek and smooth, beautiful.

"_You could have been all I wanted, but you weren't honest, now back in the ground." _His voice rang out to the band members watching him from the audience, it was like freedom incarnate, and Russell grinned behind him proudly.

When the song ended Edward seemed more confident, it was called "Welcome Home" and he'd written it a few months before, it'd taken him and Russ a long time to get it down as good as they had it. Ed pushed his bangs back from his face, and slipped his guitar strap over his head, Russell was already there to take the beat up Fender.

"What was that? I've never heard it before." Riza Hawkeye stood from her seat, leaning forward to hear Edward's answer, Ed blushed.

"It's called Welcome Home, I wrote it…" He licked his lips nervously, and Hawkeye smiled,

"You can play the next song now." She said, winking.

Edward sank onto the bench behind his keyboard at last, leaning in to speak against the mic, "This song I also wrote, it's called Speeding Cars…" He stopped talking as the band members leaned forward eagerly, obviously wanting to know if he was as good on piano as guitar. He breathed once into the mic, then splayed his fingers across the scratched black and white keys, he pressed the first combination of notes, and his voice once more captivated the room, this time soft and gentle.

"_Here's the day you hoped would never come, don't feed me violence just run with me through rows of speeding cars, the paper backs the cheating lovers the coffee's never strong enough I know you think it's more than just bad luck. _

_There there baby it's just text book stuff, it's in the ABC of growing up, now now darling, oh don't lose your head, 'cause none of us were angels and you know I love you yet." _As the second verse started there was much scribbling on clipboards, the words were unique, with no actual meaning, yet they held the band's attention. As the dying notes penetrated the room then faded Edward stood, Roy leaned against the stage, watching Ed intently,

"Could you play more on the piano? Without words…" The rest of the band nodded, enraptured, and Edward sat back down, looking confused. Russell smiled from the side of the stage, Edward was amazing, he just wouldn't admit it, and thus, Russ could see Ed was scared of being rejected.

Edward finally pressed the worn keys into the tune of his newest song, a song without many lyrics as of yet, called Colorblind.

By the time he stood again he was shaky and nervous, Russell hurried out to wrap and arm around Edward's shoulders supportively, and Ed leaned against him thankfully. Riza gathered the band together, and they whispered quietly while Edward stood there, Riza finally approached the stage, and Russell crossed his fingers.

"You're in, for the contest, it begins the day after tomorrow, at the convention center, you will be allotted three tickets to all events, whether you're eliminated or not, the contestants must be to the convention center by two o'clock, the concert/contest begins at four. Here are your papers to acquire tickets, and directions on where to go when you arrive." She smiled, and Edward reached down to take the papers, as he made to leave, following the eager Russell, who had Edward's guitar, Roy reached up and grabbed his arm.  
"I'd like to speak to you." He said, his eyes flickering darkly, Edward swallowed,

"One minute, Russ, I'll be right out." Ed called shakily, Russell nodded, smiling.

Roy lead Edward to the back of the seating area, and sat him down, "I'm sorry about the other day, I see now you're taken," He nodded the direction Russell had gone, and Ed nodded, "I wanted to say I hope you make it through the contest, and that your heart's really in it, because you could be great." He pulled Ed's MP3 player from his pocket, and a brand new pair of Sony headphones from under the seat, still in the package, "I stepped on your headphones on accident." Roy admitted, Edward blinked,

"Uh, thanks…I'll see you all tomorrow then…" Roy nodded, and Edward hurried off to the stage, slinging his keyboard over his shoulder, and tucking the stand under his other arm, he followed Russell out to the van.

"Ed…I love you…" Russell murmured, he was wrapped around Edward's body, his head resting on Ed's chest, they were sweaty and smelled of sex, laying on Russell's bed, his parents were gone on a trip, and they'd taken advantage of the absence. Edward stroked Russell's hair with his flesh hand, he felt oily and dirty, he wanted to shower, but Russell was so calm and relaxed, he didn't want to ruin the afterglow for his boyfriend.

"You too.." He murmured, he chewed his lip, soft music was playing in the background, a crappy recording of Edward playing music for Russell, he felt bad returning the sentiments now, because he _wanted _Roy, had wanted him, and what drove him from the hotel room was fear and shock, Edward was a planner, he liked to plan sex, and it would creep other people out constantly, he'd had a hard time with boys.

Russell sighed, his breath wisped across Ed's bare stomach and he sucked in in shock. He could hear Russ chuckling, and deemed it time to move. "I gotta shower, Russ." The taller boy finally got up, and Ed hurried off into the shower.

Russell sat on the bed, snagging a towel from the floor to clean himself off with, he cocked his head, Ed could be so strange sometimes, all Russ wanted was for Ed to open up to him, be a couple with him, but Edward hadn't even told his mother he was gay yet, Russ shook his head, the water turned on in the bathroom, and he lay back naked on his bed, wondering.

Roy Mustang slumped in his seat, the last thirty acts had sucked, pitiful they sounded after Edward's music, they all sang the same few songs, no hand written selection, no originality, just the latest popular song and Paralyzer, god Roy was so sick of that song… His mind wandered to Edward, naked and gasping on his bed, and his pale cheeks colored, he shook the thought away, but he couldn't help it, he wanted the teen, the moment he saw him he'd been struck by his beauty, and then, after the last sad act ended, Riza leaned over Havoc to whisper something to him,

"That boy's in a small time band of his own, called Fullmetal…they're performing tonight, at a club for homosexual teens called the Blue Fairy, they're supposed to be pretty good, with a rapper and Edward on vocals…" Roy grinned,

"Sweet, I think I'll go check out how he normally performs," Riza rolled her eyes, and Roy leapt up, "What time?"

Riza checked a small flyer she held, "eight O'clock, in one hour." She said, he bounded from the amphitheater, and looked up directions for the club, heading to it on foot, and sitting in a concealed corner in the back where Ed wouldn't see him.


	5. Chapter 4: Discordant Lullaby

A/N: I know you're getting sick of Author notes, so I'll try to keep them to a minimum.

Chapter 4: Discordant Lullaby

Edward grimaced at Russell when he got out of the shower, he sat on the bed, staring at the flashy clothes laid out before the flamboyant teen.

"There's a show tonight, Ed, remember? I need you to sing." Edward bit his lip, holding back an angry remark, "I know you don't want to…and you have good reason tonight, but…please…?" Russell pouted at Ed, and, when Ed rubbed his hand over his face, he knew he was winning, and flung clothes beside Edward, "Get dressed please, we have half an hour to get there…"

Edward held up the clothes Russell had given him, then sighed, dropping his towel to the floor, and pulling them on piece by piece. First he pulled on a pair of briefs, followed by a pair of black pants, they were obviously from the women's section, and accentuated Edward's cute little butt. Colored strips of cloth wrapped around the waist and legs of the pants. Next came a black tank top, with white strips crossing it diagonally, and over that Edward's trench coat, hood up. Russell frowned.

The trip to the Blue fairy club took a quarter of an hour to complete, when they arrived they were lead through a back door with their equipment, Breda was already within, setting up mics. Edward set his keyboard near the front right hand corner of the stage, and Russell set up his sound board.

Edward sat behind his piano, looking out at the churning crowd of non-hetero couples swaying lewdly on the dance floor, music blasted from worn speakers, hooked up to a modern jukebox, controlled by a computer-wielding mixer, who was slicing songs together, joining end to beginning with his computer. Edward lifted his head as the opening notes of the next song filtered through "Love Game" by Burning militia, and the crowd cheered happily amidst the blasting music.

Roy grinned in his corner, he'd been watching Edward as he'd focused on his piano, and then Paralyzer began to play, and he saw Ed's chin lift, saw the recognition, and despite how tired he was of his song, he didn't mind hearing it as long as Edward looked like that. Roy leaned forward, his eyebrows contracted as the boy, Russell he thought his name was, wrapped his arms around Edward's slender chest from behind, he leaned down and spoke in Ed's ear, and Edward blushed and shook his head, Russell pouted, and asked his question again, causing Ed to roll his eyes, Roy smirked, then Edward stood up, his lean body accentuated by the clothes Russell had given him, he dropped his trench coat to the floor behind his piano, where it wouldn't get messed up, and allowed Russ to pull him off the stage onto the dance floor.

Roy sat straighter in his chair, trying to see Edward as he and Russell cut a swathe through the crowd of dancers. As the first verse of the song ended Russ pulled Ed closer to him, but left him space to move, the dancers grinned and brushed against the blond teen, then Ed began to dance. His hips swayed sinuously, serpentine in movement he twisted against Russell, until his back was pressed against the taller boy, he spun and dipped, looking more like a gymnast than a dancer, lithe and beautiful, each step he took Russ tried to compliment, but he wasn't as skilled, not as smooth, and Edward was fire incarnate into humanity, perfection, like a waterfall, constantly in motion.

Roy stood, craning his neck to continue watching Edward. The boy was beautiful beyond compare, swaying and grinding to _Roy's _beat, _Roy's _lyrics, his eyes were half lidded, liquid gold showed in flashes as he moved his lids, his full lips mouthed the words Roy had written, and the man could imagine how Edward's siren-like voice would sound singing those words he'd written. The image sent shivers down his spine.

Then the song ended, and Russell leaned down and claimed Edward's mouth for his own, and Edward's arms slid around Russ's neck,

_No! no no no! _Roy screamed inside his head, he felt tendrils of jealousy splinter through him, and clenched his teeth in anger, his music no longer held sway over Edward, only the mouth of that…_Boy_ dictated Edward's lip's movements now. Roy leaned back, gritting his teeth, his nose wrinkled, he _wanted_ this person…why?

"Come on, Ed, please?!" Russell was pleading, he pulled Ed back onto the stage, his eyes glassy and begging, "I _need _you to sing it…" The teen grimaced, pushing his loose gold hair over his shoulder, the song Russ wanted him to sing was an old love song, one Edward had written for his first boyfriend, a boy known only as Envy. Their relationship had been an unhealthy one, based mostly on sex, and brushed over with fighting over every tiny thing, antagonistic remarks, belittling Edward when he was trying to show how he felt. Tension was what finally broke them apart, and Envy left, Ed hadn't seen him since. Russell found his lyrics on a scrap of ripped paper, and begged Edward to sing it for him, when it was over he schemed and created music to it, turning the primal song, about physical love, into a now loved song, this club was their regular place, and everyone knew the song now, though Edward hated to sing it.

"Please, Edward…they want you to!" Russ broke through Ed's thoughts, and he finally nodded, his expression sour,

"Fine." He grimaced, and stood behind his keyboard, mouth to mic, ready.

'Tension was what finally broke them apart, and Envy left, Ed hadn't seen him since. Russell found his lyrics on a scrap of ripped paper, and begged Edward to sing it for him, when it was over he schemed and created music to it, turning the primal song, about physical love, into a now loved song, this club was their regular place, and everyone knew the song now, though Edward hated to sing it.

"Please, Edward…they want you to!" Russ broke through Ed's thoughts, and he finally nodded, his expression sour,

"Fine." He grimaced, and stood behind his keyboard, mouth to mic, ready.

"You people are awful." He said to the crowd, they came closer to the stage, "but you let us play here, so…I'll sing for you, this song you all want." The crowd cheered.

As the beat machine started, Roy looked up, he was clutching a drink in his hand, taking small sips as Edward began to sing to the steady thumping techno beat Russell was creating, He paid close attention to the lyrics flowing from Edward's plush lips.

"_I need I need your love like the flowers need the sun, to grow and reach the sky let us try to be as one, I need to feel your love I need you deep inside, put me on your rocket ship and take me out of sight, I see stars…" _He paused, and his golden eyes locked with Mustang's, causing the man to shudder and gulp at his drink, _"Can you see them too?" _The song was purely sexual, obviously, and Roy unconsciously nodded his answer to the sung question as the bodies swayed around his table, he finished his drink quickly, and hurried into a bathroom to make a phone call, that done he scribbled something hurriedly on a napkin, and, pushing his way through the crowd, slipped it under Edward's keyboard, the teen's eyes watched his every movement, he signaled the note with his eyes, and Edward nodded as he finished the second verse, which was a repetition of the first, Roy strode through the club and out the doors. As he left, he could feel Edward's burning eyes upon him, and knew the boy would follow.


	6. Chapter 5: Unseen Bruises

A/N: I've had a few reviews asking for Ed and Roy to get together faster, and I'm working on it, as you'll see in this chapter, it's just…it would kind of ruin everything if they just jumped into a relationship….you know? So, if I drag it out too long for you, I'm sorry, but they do have…slight interactions in this chapter. So, enjoy.

-Kai.

Chapter 5: Unseen Bruises

After the band's last set was finished, Edward folded the stand for his keyboard, as he bent down he quickly slid Roy's note into his pocket, he was sure Russell hadn't seen it, but he was nervous none the less. Once the van was packed, Edward dazzled Russell with a smile, "I'm going to walk home tonight, ok? Can you drop my keyboard off with Al?" he could feel Roy's note burning a hole in his pocket, Russell smiled back, Edward's house was quite close to the club,

"Alright, see you tomorrow." He kissed Ed on the cheek, and watched him hurry into the restroom before climbing into the van and driving away with the other members.

Edward's heart pounded as he entered a stall in the restroom, and opened the note slowly.

_Meet me in room 108 after your show, at the Miral Hotel two block north of he club, we need to talk- Roy._

He shuddered, chewing his lip, then left the bathroom, and hurried down the dark streets to the afore mentioned hotel. He took deep calming breaths as he stood before a white door with brass numbers, 108, upon it, once calm, he knocked quietly on the door, and then stepped back to wait. When the door swung open Ed's breath caught from fear, Roy leaned out and beckoned him into the dimly lit room, indicating a set of chairs and a table with food on it. Ed sat down immediately, his stomach growled.

"I thought you might be hungry," Roy said with a slight chuckle, but he seemed uncertain as he sat across some Ed.

"I am, thank you." Edward responded quietly, reaching for the food, then gulping it down as if his life depended on it. When they were done Edward leaned back in his chair, and raised his golden eyebrows,

"What did you want to talk about?" He asked when Roy was not forthcoming, Roy sighed, chewing his lip and moving to sit on the bed rather than at the table.

"You've had a strange affect one me, Edward. I wanted to apologize for that day, it was…"

Edward interrupted, "Stupid and Egotistical?" He inserted, smiling, but the smile was nervous.

"Yeah, exactly." Roy grimaced, "I…I'm used to getting what I want, and…that was you…is you…" Edward blushed bright red, blinking his golden eyes in confusion. Roy didn't seem to notice, he just kept on talking, "And I should have been more careful, and pursued you in a more gentlemanly fashion, but I thought my fame would get you, and I…..I want you. Edward, I've wanted you from the moment I saw you standing in the crowd…" Without waiting for Ed's reply he leaned forward and kissed the teen, Edward surprised himself by kissing back.

Roy's lips were soft, and allowing, the kiss was gentle, and smooth, lasting, with need barely disguised behind it, and when Edward's lips parted it deepened, but slowly, in a calm controlled way. Despite that fact, when Roy leaned back Ed was panting.

Edward's face crumpled as soon as the kiss ended, and tears pooled in his eyes, he couldn't hurt Russell, he…he didn't love Russell, that was true, but…he couldn't do this, not if Russell and he were still together. As he thought of Russell his mind went to all the times Russell had kissed him, every kiss had been urgent, hungry, sloppy, no want beneath but that for sex. And sex was the same way, urgent, animalistic, over within minutes, leaving one of them unsatisfied for a long time. Edward suddenly wondered what Roy would be like in bed, would he be gentle and slow? Or would he rush, and only think about his own need…? The first time Roy had touched him had felt urgent, but the underlying need was…different, more caring…it had been that which had frightened Edward, fear of the unknown. Fear of Love.

Roy watched Edward as he fought his internal battle, he was surprised as longing, then fear, then sadness, then longing slid over Edward's features, and finally the teen looked up, longing evident in his eyes, and kissed Roy again, it was the same as the first, no sexual driven urgency, and Edward felt like crying, why…? Why did he have to find the perfect person when he was in a relationship…? Tears wetted his face as he kissed Roy again and again, and Roy lifted him from his chair and laid him on the bed, and caressed his body in ways Edward had never been touched before. And all the while Edward cried, he wanted this, wanted it more than anything, his body shook when Roy touched him, and he moaned at the slightest brush of the man's fingertips.

Roy moved slowly, lightly touching spots that would be sensitive on the teen, he sucked on Edward's neck, and kissed down his chest, and made the teen squirm beneath him, and all the while Ed's tears continued,

"Ed…why are you crying…?" Edward swallowed and sat up, he was still wearing his pants, but not his shirt, and he wiped at his eyes with his left hand.

"I…I can't do this to Russell, I want you…you make me feel…so…I…but I can't…I can't hurt Russell, I'll break up with him, and then…you and I can…but…I won't cheat on him." He pulled his shirt on, and stood up, "I'm sorry, Roy…I have to go, I-I'll see you tomorrow at the competition." He raced out the door before Roy could respond, and took off down the street toward his house.

He was panting when he reached the front door, and he opened it slowly, trying to be quiet, light spilled out into the night, and Edward blinked in the sudden brightness, a deep voice made him stumble back a step,

"Welcome Home, Edward."


	7. Chapter 6: Tortured Existence

Chapter 6: Tortured Existence

"Welcome home, Edward." Hohenheim Elric stood in the bright doorway of the Elric family home, and Edward turned and started to run, but his father's hand snapped out and grabbed his arm, and yanked him inside, "Your mother and Alphonse are sleeping, and we wouldn't want to wake them, now would we?" Ed shook his head slowly in defeat, and allowed his father to tow him to his room, Hohenheim opened the bedroom door, and shoved Edward inside,

"How long are you back for…f-father?" Edward asked as the door was locked behind Hohenheim's back. Ed shivered.

"Until tomorrow." Hohenheim said, smiling slightly, he raised his eyebrows at Edward, "Now, get undressed."

When Edward made no move to comply Hohenheim's fist shot out, and slammed into Ed's face, knocking him into the wall with a loud thud, Alphonse grunted in the next room, and Ed's eyes widened as he heard his brother, he didn't want Al to come in, didn't want Al to stop the inevitable, and end up getting hurt himself, Edward struggled up from the floor and pulled his clothes off quickly, shivering in the cold air, Hohenheim smiled,

"Good, you're starting to remember how to be obedient." He grabbed Edward's hair and spun the teen around, slamming him over the edge of the tall bed, so he bent at the waist. He unzipped his pants, feeling Edward shudder beneath his body, and pulled Ed's left arm behind his back, running his fingers over the barely visible scars there, thick, soft scars, straight up his wrist, and across in ladder rungs, ruining the beautiful skin. "Did you miss me, Edward?" when his son didn't respond he pulled a tiny blade from his pocket and stabbed it into Edward's left shoulder, Ed bit back a scream of protest, and his chest heaved,

"Y-yes." He finally managed to gasp out around the pain, Hohenheim twisted the tiny knife,

"Yes, what?" he asked, as if scolding a child, Edward felt fresh tears prick his eyes, he forced them back,

"Yes, Father, I missed you." He gritted out, it was obviously a lie, but Hohenheim didn't seem to mind, he pressed himself into the smaller body beneath him, withdrawing the tiny knife, and giving in to the pleasure entering the teen brought, Edward closed his eyes, pale lids sliding over golden orbs burning with shame.

By the time Hohenheim was done Edward had several new wounds on his back, and many new bruises, he lay on his bed, curled into a pain-filled ball, completely naked, the urge to get up tugged at the back of his brain as he heard his…father whispering sweet nothings to his mother, and he dragged himself up and into his bathroom.

He locked the door and stood on the toilet, opening the vent above it, then reaching into the vent to pull a tiny handle which opened a secret compartment Edward himself had made, inside was a box, he pulled it out, inside the box was a container of large razor blades, and a large bottle of aspirin. Also inside was a small bottle of alcohol, and a box of matches. He pulled peroxide and cotton balls out of the cupboard under the sink, and dabbed the liquid onto the wounds he could reach on his back, wincing as it burned the bacteria away.

With that done he took out a fresh razor blade, and, raising his arm over the sink, he cut deep into the center of his scar, the one that ran straight up his wrist, he was careful not to cut too deeply, careful not to kill himself, right now he only wanted the pain. He made several more cuts, then wiped the area down with a peroxide soaked cotton ball, and wrapped it tightly in bandages he'd bought a few months before, and sighed.

He'd been cutting himself for eight years, it was the only thing that stopped the painful emotions that were pouring through him looking for an outlet, his father had been using him since he was about five, and it had taken Ed a long time to find something that made him feel at least marginally better. Ed hunched over his left arm, and sniffled, feeling just like a little kid again, he could feel scratches on his sides from his father's fingers, and it hurt. Edward stood up, examining himself in the mirror. Worn golden eyes stared out of the glass at him, dull, lifeless… he reached up, running his fingers over the bruise surrounding his right eyes, and the split in his lip, both results of his father's punch, and grimaced, which made his lip start bleeding. He had to be at the contest, he had to win, so he could get him and Al out of this house. It was the only reason he let Hohenheim treat him that way, do those things to him, the moment he'd threatened Alphonse, Edward turned to putty in his hands.

He went back in his bedroom, pulling a pair of black arm warmers over his bandaged arms, then pulled a black T-shirt on. Moments later his alarm went off, he heard his brother's door open, and then his own opened, Edward looked up at his brother, who peered down at him with outright sympathy. "Ed…I'm telling mom we're both sick. Dad left this morning, around five thirty…I don't think you should go to school, and I'm going to stay and take care of you, because mom's doing a shop today." Ed knew what a "shop" Meant, it was the beginning of the month, time to buy everything they'd need for the coming days, Edward nodded.

"Thanks Al…but…tell her I just want to stay home, it's Friday, and I have a performance today, I'm in the contest…for Alchemists of Flame's new member." He reached out and grabbed one of his extra tickets, handing it to Al, "It's good for the entire competition." He smiled, and Al's face lit up, then the younger boy went to ask his mother if they could spend the day at home.

A few minutes later Trisha knocked on Edward's door, and poked her head inside, she saw the arm warmers and her face crumpled with sadness, she'd no clue why Edward cut himself, and she had even once considered taking him to a mental hospital, because of the time Edward tried to kill himself, and she'd had to take him to a normal hospital so he wouldn't die from blood loss. When she'd mentioned it to his father however, Hohenheim had resisted vehemently, she was starting to rethink going along with him.

"Edward…Winry's mother let her stay home today as well, and so…you two can stay home while I go shopping, and…invite Winry over ok?" Trisha sighed as Edward's automail hand wrapped around his left arm,

"Alright mom." He said, looking away from her, he couldn't bare to hurt her with the truth.

Trisha smiled sadly and left the room, pausing on the stairs she heard Edward's sigh of pain, and wondered why she didn't send him away…he'd seemed like he was doing so well until Hohenheim came home… she shook her head, she'd already taken the liberty of asking Winry over, since they'd moved to this town, and Winry had made friends with Edward he'd been doing a lot better, he went places, and didn't sit alone in his room every day, and it was a definite improvement.

Edward curled on his bed, still unable to sleep, he hadn't bandaged his back and blood was causing his shirt to stick to his wounds, and he knew that would make it harder to change his clothes, and Al would most likely notice…as that thought passed through his head, his door opened.

"Edward…what's the matter with your back?" Al's voice asked, Edward sat up, and Alphonse grumbled something, dragging the bottom hem of Edward's shirt up, he gasped, "Wow…it's worse than usual, Ed…here…" His fingers brushed around the wound in Ed's shoulder, it was deep, but…clean, because of Ed's peroxide, Al pulled a handful of large band-aids from his pocket, and pulled the wrapped off of one, placing it over the wound, then another, and another, and taped gauze over the deep scratches on his sides. Edward sat still until he was done, then put on a clean shirt, gathering up his clothes from the night before, now spotted and stained with blood and…something else from the night with Hohenheim, and carried them to the washer.

"Brother…" Alphonse placed his hand on Ed's shoulder, and then held onto Edward's now wounded arm, "Doesn't it make it hard for you to play piano and type with your arm all cut up?" Edward yanked his arm away painfully, shock driving his actions, and, shaking, ran back to his room, "Brother…" Al murmured…

Edward gulped the pills, by twos with water, swallowing again and again, until he felt light-headed, and he could feel the strange muddling effect seeping through his body, his eyelids fluttered, and he fell to the floor by the toilet, his box laying beside him, his golden eyes closed. "Edward…?" Winry's voice called out, then Al's, "brother?" and finally, as the bathroom door opened, "Brother!! EDWARD! BROTHER!!" Al fell to his knees next to Edward's unconscious form, and Winry rushed to the phone to dial 911, the sirens blared as the ambulance pulled up to the house. Alphonse cradled Ed's head in his lap, pills were spilled all over the floor, a bloody razor by them, his arm, cut too deeply once more bled onto the pile as Al tried to rewrap the bandage, and finally the paramedics entered the bathroom, putting pressure on his arm, and placing him on a stretcher. "We need to pump his stomach!" They said urgently.

Roy was looking out the window of the tour bus when he heard the sirens and the ambulance blasted past them in a whirl. Moments later they pulled past a large blue and white house, and he saw the stretched come out the door, strapped to the contraption was a teenage boy, golden blond hair spilled off the stretcher like spun gold, fluttering in the wind, and an automail arm slipped off it to swing near the stretcher.

Roy leapt to his feet, and rushed to the front of the bus, "STOP!! STOP THE BUS!!!" He screamed, in a sudden turmoil, the bus rolled to a halt, and Roy shoved past Riza to jump down the stairs, sprinting toward the ambulance, rushing up to Alphonse and Winry, "What happened?! Tell me what happened to Edward!!" Al's eyes widened with shock at the man's sudden appearance, he knew who Roy was, had been enamored over the band for years, and he'd been so jealous when Ed got to go see them with Winry…

Winry spoke up instead, "He tried to kill himself, he slit his wrist, and swallowed a ton Aspirin…he had four bottles hidden in his bathroom inside a vent…" She shoved Al toward the ambulance, "Go with Edward, I'll tell…Mr. Mustang what happened and ride there with Trisha when she gets back." Alphonse nodded and rushed to the ambulance, sliding inside with the unconscious Ed, and the ambulance spun off, wailing.

A/N: Here's in response to Manifestation of a Storyteller's review which stated "Let's get into the angst" and here's my response, THE ANGST IS HERE!


	8. Chapter 7: Don't Leave Yet

A/N: This chapter was inspired entirely by the song "I hate everything about you" By Three Days Grace, "Stellar" By Incubus, and "Melody Of You" By Sixpence None the Richer.

Chapter 7: Don't leave yet

When Trisha Elric finally got home she stared in shock at the two people standing in front of her house. One of them she was almost positive, was the famous rock star Roy Mustang, the other was Winry, and the girl was babbling in a very upset way at Mustang while tears streamed down her face, and his eyes shimmered with tears that were, as of yet, unshed. Worry creased both their faces, and as she pulled up in the little car she owned they both rushed over to her.

"Trisha!! Edward's in the hospital! He tried to kill himself!" Before Winry could say anymore Trisha threw the car door open, she waved them frantically into the car, and they both obliged, sliding together into the back seat,

"Where's Alphonse?" She asked as she sped down the streets toward downtown, Winry clutched the door as if afraid it would fly open,

"I sent him with Ed, in the ambulance." She said, obviously wondering if she'd done the right thing, Trisha nodded,

"Good." And they spun around a corner, tires squealing, and slid to a halt outside the hospital, "You two go find out his room number, immediately, tell them his mother is on her way!" They leapt from the car and she sped off to find a parking spot.

Winry slammed into the front desk in the emergency entrance, her blue eyes wild,

"My cousin!! My cousin, Edward Elric, please, what room number is he? Is he alright?" Roy placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her frantic speech, he wasn't entirely sure the nurse would understand Winry's rapid speech.

"He's still in the ICU, but they think he'll be fine." The nurse said, after a short phone call, "They have a room prepped, and his brother is waiting there." Winry nodded and continued to stare at the nurse, waiting for more information, "It's number 1206…" The Nurse added, Roy scribbled it down on a piece of paper, and turned to Winry,

"You go…to his brother…and I'll wait for her." He said, his eyes were pained, he wanted to go, but…it would be best if Winry went to comfort the unfamiliar Alphonse. Winry nodded, and, needing no second bidding, she took off toward the elevators.

When Trisha entered the building Roy was waiting for her, he stared at her with his endlessly deep dark eyes, and she squared her shoulders, "Where do we go?" She didn't ask why he was here, or what her son meant to him, or any of the other questions she wanted to ask him, she simply needed to make sure Edward was safe.

"Twelve O' Six." He said, pointing to the elevators, and hurrying toward them, Trisha beat him to them, and they stepped inside, the whoosh of the doors closing seemed to make them more on edge, and when the doors opened on the correct floor, they walked quickly down the hall, both rigid and fearful. When they reached the correct door, Trisha knocked quietly, and they heard a male voice say,

"come in." The door opened slowly, and they stepped inside. Alphonse and Winry sat in chairs near the window, she had her arm around him, and he was staring blankly at the door, Roy immediately curled into his own chair, while Trisha sat on her son's other side, rubbing his shoulder, he leaned away from her, his eyes fierce,

"What's the matter, Alphonse?" She asked in her sweet voice, Al just glared at her,

"I hate you." He said, Winry gasped, shocked, and Trisha's eyes widened. "How could you not know?!" He stood up, he was shaking, his voice rising in volume, "All this time that Father's been…how could you not notice?! HOW COULD YOU NOT SEE HOW MUCH HE WAS HURTING EDWARD?!" Winry grabbed Al's arm, and pulled him close to her, petting his head as he subsided into broken sobs, and Trisha simply looked shocked,

"What do you mean…?" She asked, her brow furrowing, Al growled, and Winry swallowed and stared at the floor,

"Hohenheim has been…visiting Ed while you're sleeping for some time now…that's why Ed…c-cuts." She murmured, Trisha's eyes widened with horrified shock, "they'd have told you as much when they came in, after looking at him…he was covered in bruises…Hohenheim was here last night, wasn't he?" Trisha nodded…thinking of the strange thump she'd heard, and how he'd told her to go back to bed, that he'd handle Edward returning too late. Trisha pressed her face to her hands, and didn't look up again.

Roy was staring at Winry as thought she'd turned into a rabid dog, "Who's Hohenheim?" He finally asked, Winry looked back at him, tears in her eyes,

"Edward and Alphonse's father." She said simply, Roy shuddered.

None of them spoke again until the door opened, and Edward was carried in, unconscious, and laid on one of the beds, all the chairs scooted closer once an IV was inserted, and they were allowed to, Roy ended up sitting near Edward's head, Trisha, by his feet near Winry, and Alphonse across from Roy. And for two hours they sat silently and waited for Edward's eyes to open.

Roy had drifted into sleep when he heard Edward's voice,

"R-Roy…?" he raised his head, dark blue meeting glimmering gold, and Edward leaned forward to wrap his automail arm around Roy's body, he buried his face in Roy's shoulder, twisting sideways to do it, and Trisha stared at them, shocked once more, and still silent, while Alphonse fiddled with his chair, and Winry smiled. Until Ed's next words that is.

"Did you die too, Roy?" He whispered, but loudly enough that they all heard. Roy leaned back slightly, "Because Heaven wouldn't be the same without you…if it existed…"

"I'm not dead, Edward. And neither are you." Ed looked up, confusion in his eyes, "Don't you ever do that to me again!" Roy growled, gripping Ed's shoulders, "I only just found you, don't leave me so quickly!" Edward smiled sadly,

"I had good reason…" He murmured, but he nodded at Roy's words, "Alright…I won't leave you…but I still…Russell…" He mumbled, and Roy understood, vaguely, why it needed to be that way. "Love you…Roy…" He murmured, curling against the warm body, careful not to press his injured arm against Roy,

"Love…him…?" Trisha finally snapped into reality, her eyes narrowed, "You love him?!"

Edward looked up, his golden eyes flickering around the bed to Winry, Al, and Trisha. "Yes." He finally replied, "I love him. I love Roy Mustang." He narrowed his eyes as well, but in his weakened state he wasn't nearly as impressive. Trisha sighed,

"I suspected as much…" She said quietly, then she looked up, and Ed could see the hurt in her eyes, "Why, Edward? Why did you try to kill yourself…? I know about your…Father…" Edward flinched, and pressed against Roy's body for protection, "But…you could have told me, you didn't have to kill yourself…" Edward shook his head violently, and Roy wrapped his arms around the shaking teen,

"I couldn't, mom…he said he'd use Al if I told anyone. Plus…dying is easier than facing all of that." Trisha shook her head sadly,

"I'll tell him to leave and never come back, I'll protect you boys." She finally said, straightening her shoulders, "I should have started a long time ago. But Ed…you won't be able to go to the competition anymore…" Edward rolled his eyes,

"If you make them let me out of here I can…I've played with worse." He waved his bandaged arm back and forth, still a bit woozy from the pills. Roy released Ed and chewed his lip, standing up,

"You shouldn't…but I really want to see you beat all the others…" He muttered, sighing, Trisha stood up as well, and hurried from the room without telling them her intentions. And when she returned she was smiling,

"They said you can go, I signed the papers, but it's half past one, and you'll never make it to the convention center by two if you don't get a move on." Edward stared at her, then swung his legs out of bed, the nurse had left his bloody clothes on a nearby chair, and he scrambled into them while Winry politely averted her eyes, and Roy snuck looks every few seconds,

"Come on, Roy, let's go!" He said, wincing as he pulled his shoes on with his left hand, and tied them up. Roy sighed, and pulled out a phone,

"Hello, this is Roy Mustang, and I need a Transport and an Escort to the Mid Town Convention Center from the Downtown Hospital."


	9. Chapter 8: Pained Beauty

Chapter 8: Pained beauty

Edward winced as he slid into Roy's "transport", which was in fact a sleek black car, with tinted windows, Roy threw himself in the back beside Edward, slamming the door, and the car took off, tires squealing, toward the convention center. It raced through traffic, weaving through all the other cars, Edward swayed with each movement, and Roy wrapped a supporting arm around his waist, before continuing to speed talk into his cell phone at Riza, who'd postponed the start of the competition for them.

Roy pulled Edward out of the car with him when they arrived, and ran for the center, Ed hurrying behind him, still woozy, they ran through the halls, and burst into the dressing room area. Roy pushed Edward toward a creepy looking guy covered in pink sparkles, who immediately started messing with his clothes and hair. He bit his lip as Roy vanished toward the band's private dressing room to change.

"And now, introducing applicant number 97, Edward Elric, who will be performing the song 'Here in your arms' as written by Roy mustang of Alchemists of Flame." Edward shivered, his golden eyes swept the curtains as he was pushed gently toward the stage, he took a deep breath, and lifted his head amidst the polite clapping, before stepping out onto the stage.

Edward strode confidently over to the microphone he'd been allotted, as Roy ducked his head under the strap of his electric guitar, and Havoc settled behind a shiny silver keyboard that put Edward's to shame. He took a deep calming breath as the keyboard started it's electronic music, and he opened his lips and began to sing, the moment his sultry voice rang out calmly through the room weaving magic into Roy's lyrics.

"_I like, Where we are ,When we drive ,In your car. I like, Where we are; here.  
Cause our lips, Can touch, And our cheeks, Can brush. Our lips, Can touch; here.  
Well you are the one, the one that lies close to me.  
Whispers "Hello, I've missed you quite terribly."  
I fell in love, in love with you suddenly.  
Now there's no place else I could be but here in your arms.  
I like, Where you sleep, When you sleep, Next to me. I like, Where you sleep; Here.  
Our lips, Can touch, And our cheeks, Can brush. Cause our lips, Can touch; here  
_

_Well you are the one, the one that lies close to me.  
Whispers "Hello, I've missed you quite terribly."  
I fell in love, in love with you suddenly._

_Now there's no place else I could be but here in your arms."  
_

Edward's voice quieted to sincere loving words for a moment.

"_Our lips, Can touch... Our lips, Can touch; here._

_Well you are the one, the one that lies close to me.  
Whispers "Hello, I've missed you quite terribly."  
I fell in love, in love with you suddenly.  
Now there's no place else I could be but here in your..."_

Ed's voice upped in volume, full of emotion,

_  
"Well you are the one, the one that lies close to me.  
Whispers "Hello, I've missed you quite... missed you quite."  
I fell in love, in love with you suddenly.  
Now there's no place else I could be but here in your arms  
Here in your arms  
Than here in your arms"_

As the song came to a close, the crowd stayed in their awed silence, Edward leaned away from the mic, turning to look at Roy, his face full of despair only the older man could see, but Roy's face was set in the same awestruck expression as the crowd, Edward's voice had done things that he hadn't believed possible, Ed's shoulders slumped as he took it for rejection, but before he could leave the stage wild cheers broke out, the entire crowd practically screaming its choice of candidates for the band.

Roy's face split in a huge grin as Ed smiled embarrassedly, and waved to the crowd as he left the stage for the night, the second half of the entries performances would continue tomorrow, when the contestants would demonstrate their ability to be diverse, by playing another instrument.

After the last three contestants played their parts Roy approached Ed backstage,

"You were amazing! They were seriously cowed into silence by your performance." Roy said, smiling happily, but his smile faltered when Russell came trotting up, his backstage pass clutched proudly in his hand,

"Good job, Edward!!" He cried, flinging his arms around the shorter teen, and kissing him full on the mouth, Edward leaned away, averting his eyes guiltily,

"Russ…I need…we need to talk." Ed murmured, Russell's eyes widened with understanding, and he allowed Edward to lead him into a secluded corner. Roy watched, worrying his lip as Edward haltingly spoke to Russell, he watched Russ's face fill with anger, and watched Ed plead with the taller teen, hands outstretched beseechingly, then Russell's hand raised, and a loud "CRACK" echoed through the now nearly empty room, Ed's face snapped to the side with the force of Russell's slap, and it stayed that way, eyes downcast, tears pooling in molten gold irises, then sliding down tan cheeks as Roy ran to his side, forgetting all pretenses, he pulled Ed into his arms as Russell turned and ran away from them.

"Shh…it's ok, Ed, it's ok." Roy soothed, petting Ed's golden hair,

"No it's not…well…I…" Ed mumbled incoherently, his hand gripping his wounded wrist too tightly, red beginning to stain the bandages, but Roy grabbed his hand, pulling it away, and lifted Ed's chin,

"It's alright, Edward. Everything is fine, he'll get better, he just needs some time." Ed nodded mutely, then buried his face in Roy's chest,

"I…he's mad at you, too." He muttered, "I told him…that I cheated…and I didn't feel right staying with him when I didn't feel…that way about him anymore." Roy nodded, though Ed couldn't see him, and sighed, rubbing soothing circles into the teen's back,

"Come on, your mom's waiting at home for you, let's go."


	10. Chapter 9: Hidden fears

Paralyzer chapter 9: Hidden Promises.

Author's note: So, I do not own the songs in here, the first is "Rachel's Lullaby" By Rachel Bockover, you can find her on Youtube.

Song two, Naturally by Selina Gomez, not mine either.

Alphonse skipped merrily up to Roy and his brother when they exited the show,

"Hey brother, I got to come see you perform!!" Al bounced around excitedly, and Ed couldn't help but smile,

"Yeah, was it fun?" He asked, Alphonse nodded,

"You were the best, out of everyone, I promise!" Al chirped, his eyes fluttered over the red handprint on Ed's cheek, then he pulled his elder brother toward the car, where their mother waited with Winry, Edward slid into the back seat of the car, and Roy leaned down, lifting Ed's chin to kiss him gently,

"I'll…I'll come over later, ok Ed?" He murmured, pressing their lips together, "Later." He turned and walked away, leaving Ed staring after him with love filled eyes, forgetting the pain in his cheek.

When they piled out of the car at Edward's house he was still smiling sadly, eyes full of conflicting emotions, Trisha hurried around the kitchen making dinner, "So…tomorrow you have to show off more talent…?" She asked her son as he settled into a chair at the table,

"Yeah." He murmured, thinking, "I think I'll play The Lullaby on guitar and sing…I have sheet music written out for it. But it's really…it doesn't need anyone else." He shrugged, golden hair rippling across his shoulders where it had come free of its braid, and he gathered it with his free hand, and tied it back up.

"Oh, I like that one." Trisha said, smiling, trying to perk him up, but he looked up at her, and she knew it wasn't her place to comfort, he was waiting for someone else. Edward's shoulders flexed in a shrug again, and he stood up,

"I'm going to practice." He said simply, before ambling up the stairs calmly, and into his room. He immediately shut the door to his bathroom, ignoring the beckoning of his box of contraband, and sat on his bed, guitar on his lap. His fingers stroked the cords, eliciting beautiful but simple music from them. And he began drilling his own song into himself, learning the words with his heart and soul.

Edward strode confidently on stage, holding his beat up acoustic guitar gently in his hands, he had tuned it carefully back stage, and he felt a thrill of fear go through him as he settled onto his stool to play, his fingers strummed across the cords once, testing, before he began to play.

After a few cords he sang quietly into the mic, and the sound that carried across the silent audience was soothing, and sob inducing.

"_Sing me to sleep now, _

_I want to dream, _

_Tell me a story,_

_That's just for me,_

_I miss that, _

_When you used to read to me._

_The fountain of youth flows, _

_Where I go,_

_But I won't drink it, _

_Don't want to know._

_Hold me in your lap now,_

_My finger entwine your hair,_

_With my face next to your face,_

_I have no cares._

_I miss that,_

_When you used to be_

_The world to me._

_The fountain of youth flows,_

_Where I go_

_But I won't drink it_

_Don't want to know._

_Sweet cherub faces,_

_Nine in a line,_

_My angels spread their_

_Wings and fly._

_The fountain of youth flows,_

_Where I go,_

_But I won't drink it,_

_Don't want to know._

_Nine in a line."_

As he broke off, looking out over the crowds, who were openly crying, and nodding, as if agreeing with his lyrics, the clapping was quiet, but enthusiastic, hushed, as if fearing to wake a sleeping child, but full of vigor for the song writer before them. Edward stood, bowed once, and left the stage, curling around his guitar and checking the strings back stage as he waited for the rest of the performers to be done.

"Now announcing the finalists! Moving on to round two of the contest are Selim Bradley, Edward Elric, Kain Feury, Vato Falman, and Shezka Pearl!" *I don't know her last name* Edward blinked, blushed at the wild cheering, and shivered in the spotlights highlighting he and the others. Roy was standing impassively to the side with the band, but when Edward looked at him he gave a nearly imperceptible wink, and Ed felt better for it.

"The next challenge for these finalists is a treasure hunt, it will be broadcasted on TV, held in The Central Park, the winner will perform the song of their choice with the band at their next concert in this hall a week after the contest." The announcer bowed, and Edward chewed his lip and sighed, following the others offstage where they would receive the rest of their instructions.

Edward Elric lay on his bed, his hands held an envelope with his instructions in it, and his flesh fingers shook as the peeled back the seal. Inside there were several sheets of paper, he pulled them out, reading page one while he tried not to think about the razor blades so conveniently placed in another of his hiding places.

_Contestants are to be at the main gates to Central Park at 1:00 P.M. Tomorrow. _Ed sighed, missing school again…

_Bring a medium sized backpack, you will need also a water bottle, and tennis shoes. _

He shrugged, looking over the rest of the list, then switching to the second paper, which had a list of things he would be trying to find the next day.

"A scavenger hunt…" He bit his lip, reading the clues carefully, trying to deduce what each object was, vague words swam hazily through his mind, and he sighed and set the papers down, lifting the permission slip his mother needed to sign.

"Mom?" He called quietly, leaning out his door to look for her, when she didn't respond he walked softly toward her room, and knocked. A groan greeted him, and his eyebrows contracted at the sound, before he cautiously opened the door, and peeked inside.

"Mom, you ok?" another groan. Edward shivered, and flipped the light switch, nothing happened. "Mom…?" He sidled nearer to her, and waited for his eyes to adjust, she was laying sprawled on the bed, a bruise on her face, acting drunk.

"I'm…..fine….Edo-kun…" He swallowed, she hadn't called him that in years, "Baby…honey…play me a song…play me something on the guitar…" His hands shook, and he nodded,

"Alright mom…" He hurried back to his room for his guitar, and strummed nervously, tuning, tuning, until it sounded like perfection. He began to pluck strings, find the rhythm, the rhyme, and then he sang to her, lullaby, the words he'd released to the world about his insecurities and wishes. And she sighed, and closed her eyes in the darkness to listen to his voice.

"You sound…so much like him…when we met." She muttered, "What song is that? I've never heard it before…" He clenched his teeth as she didn't wait for an answer, but rolled onto her side and began to snore.

Edward lifted his guitar, and left the room, signing her name for her on the papers, and curling on his side on his bed. He stared at the wall, golden irises shimmering with unshed tears, she wasn't the same. It wasn't often she drank, but when she did she didn't seem to understand how much she was hurting him. His thoughts were shattered by the sound of the doorbell, he wiped away the unshed tears, and stumbled down the stairs wearily.

The door opened slowly to reveal black hair and dark eyes,

"Hey there. I missed you this afternoon." Edward snorted, and held the door open,

"Come in, Bastard." He murmured, laughter in his eyes, hiding something different behind it, but Roy just cracked a half smirk and entered the house. They sat quietly in the living room, Roy's hand curled around Edward's, and his fingers stroked the back of Ed's hand in soothing circles.

"So…a scavenger hunt…in the park…" Ed murmured, trying to start a conversation, but trying to be quiet at the same time, Roy nodded,

"It sounded fun." The man said, leaning back on the couch, pulling Ed closer, "I can tell you where everything is so you win."

Edward rolled his eyes, letting himself rest against Roy's warm body in the cool interior of his home felt nice.

"Nah, it wouldn't be winning then." He said, with something that sounded like a strangled laugh after. Roy shrugged,

"Suit yourself."

They sat that way for awhile, just calm, until Al's door opened, and the younger brother clomped downstairs loudly, and burst into the living room, startling Ed so that he fell off of the couch and onto the floor. Al didn't seem to notice, just flopped in a chair and turned on the TV. Edward stood up, blushing, then took Roy's hand, and pulled him up to his room, once inside the haven he calmed again.

"I…I started writing you a song…I, well, I actually finished it yesterday…do you…want to hear it?" His voice trailed off, and he stared at the floor, but Roy lifted his chin,

"I'd love to." Edward blushed, and sat behind the keyboard, playing the starting keys.

"_How you choose to express yourself, _

_It's all your own and I can tell_

_It comes naturally_

_It comes naturally_

_You follow what you feel inside,_

_It's intuitive you don't have to hide_

_It comes naturally_

_Ooh it comes naturally, _

_And it takes my breath away._

_You are the thunder _

_And I am the lightning,_

_And I love the way you know who you are_

_And to me it's exciting,_

_When you know it's meant to be,_

_Everything comes naturally_

_It comes naturally,_

_When you're with me baby,_

_Everything comes naturally,_

_It comes naturally, _

_Bay bay baby._

_You have a way of moving me, _

_A force of nature your energy_

_It comes naturally,_

_You know it does,_

_It comes naturally._

_And it takes my breath away,_

_What you do so naturally. _

_You are the thunder _

_And I am the lightning,_

_And I love the way you know who you are_

_And to me it's exciting,_

_When you know it's meant to be,_

_Everything comes naturally_

_It comes naturally,_

_When you're with me baby,_

_Everything comes naturally,_

_It comes naturally, _

_Bay bay baby._

_When we collide,_

_Sparks fly,_

_When you look in my eyes,_

_It takes my breath away._

_You are the thunder _

_And I am the lightning,_

_And I love the way you know who you are_

_And to me it's exciting,_

_When you know it's meant to be,_

_Everything comes naturally_

_It comes naturally,_

_When you're with me baby,_

_Everything comes naturally,_

_It comes naturally, _

_Bay bay baby." _

Edward bit his lip as the music faded, and Roy continued to look at him,

"It was amazing…" Roy seemed as if he couldn't quite bring himself to speak louder, as if afraid he'd wake up and it would be a dream. He pulled Ed into his arms from behind the piano, and hugged him, "No-one has ever done that for me before…" He said, his eyes full of wonder. Edward wrinkled his nose cutely, and buried his face in Roy's chest,

"Well…I…you inspire me." He muttered in embarrassment, before looking up, "Can I spend the night with you?" So much emotion overlaid the request that Roy said yes before he'd thought about it,

"Thank you…let me write a note for my mom." Ed scribbled some things on a paper, and tucked it into his mom's grip, before hurrying back out, "Al, I'm leaving! See you tomorrow!"

Next time We'll do stuff,….yeah. See ya soon fans,

*rattles collecting jar*

Reviews please?


	11. Chapter 10: Taste Of Truth

((A/N: The song in this chapter is "My December" Performed in this version that I have by Linkin' Park.))

Chapter 10: Taste of truth

Edward sighed, his breath ghosted across Roy's bare chest, and he'd never felt so calm. Roy moved slightly beneath him, then settled, and the teen chuckled quietly. The house was…a surprise, Roy had rented it on a moments notice, and filled it with his own stuff, and Ed hadn't expected a house. They were curled on a large comfortable bed, covered in a heavy but heavenly comforter sheathed in a dark purple duvet. Ed's golden eyes flickered to the clock, it was one in the morning, but he couldn't sleep, his eyes slid back to Roy's body. Gold skated down pale chest, stomach, sculpted muscle, smooth skin, and Ed shuddered with happiness and lust. Roy breathed evenly, deeply asleep beneath Edward. Ed shot up, eyes wide, and he leaned over Roy, reaching his fingers for his backpack, abandoned on the floor, and pulled a notebook and pen from its depths.

The words flowed, with each breath Roy took the words poured onto the page. His simplest of movements inspired verses, and phrases that could melt someone's heart.

_It's a quarter after one…I'm all alone and I need you now. _The words fluttered like fallen leaves onto the lines paper, and Ed sighed when the outflow finally stopped. He dropped the notebook on the floor, and curled beside Roy's warm body, and slept.

Frantic. It was the only word that came to mind when he associated morning's after with Roy. They never woke up on time, and breakfast was a fleeting dream, as was lunch, as they piled into Roy's car, and the man hurried to drop Edward at the entrance to the main park.

Ed strode through the gates like he owned the place while Roy drove around to the place he was supposed to wait for the winner. The park didn't look anything like it was supposed to, a large canvas top had been erected over the entire place, with plants hanging from it, until the whole place looked like some kind of jungle. Edward stood in line with the other contestants, his list in his hand, clues…he could work out clues.

The director was saying something about not cheating, cameras watching, how to bring back your list. "Once you've found every object, and placed it in the chest with your name on it, you place your list in this holder, and wait for a judge to check it. The entire game pauses while the judges look over someone's list." Ed nodded, paying attention to that, then setting himself to look for hidden details in the clues.

"You will go into the enclosure on the sound of the chime. The game ends on the sound of the lower chime. Three, Two…One…go!" Edward took off into the leaves, cameras were wound into every available surface, crowds lined the fence around the park, watching what they could see through the bushes. Edward paused deep in the plants, and consulted his list.

"Hmm…A round fruit with…spots like a golf ball?" He looked at the oranges scattered across the ground, snagged one, set in his bag he'd been told to bring along, and hurried on.

"Something shaped like a star…" He shimmied his way up a maple tree to pluck one of its leaves, and slide it into the front pocket of his bag. He dropped to the ground expertly, hurrying through the undergrowth in search of "Something small and metal." When he found the long skeleton key, he raised his eyebrows, and slid it into the bag.

The "Something large and soft, white in color" Turned out to be a teddy bear, which he decided meant it was time to drop his first load in the chest marked Elric. He dropped the items in, and checked them off his list with a pencil he'd brought before slipping back into the trees while Roy smirked at his back.

Half an hour passed, and Edward wiped his brow with his flesh arm, crumpling the list slightly in his automail hand. There was one item he hadn't found, he knew what it was, but he couldn't seem to…find it.

"Come on…come on…where…?" He brushed leaves aside, peered into undergrowth, climbed trees, and then he found one, a brightly colored feather, purple. He lifted it, having deposited every other item into his treasure chest, he bolted through the woods, and dropped it into his chest, "I think I have it!" He waved the judges over wearily, ignoring the cameras pointed his way as he put his hands on his knees to pant for breath in the sun.

The judges sifted over his list, and through his items as his opponents stood in the shadows watching. "The Winner is Edward Elric!" Edward blinked, surprised, as his opponents stared at him from their grouping point near the gates, and he realized this had set him apart, he was ahead in the running… and alone in himself, pitted against every other contestant.

"The Surprise is!!! Mr. Elric will now receive a Ten thousand dollar cash prize! And a contract to record one song with the band "Linkage Elite". ((Linkin Park, pretty much))

Edward's eyes widened, "Ket, the rapper of the group, is here to collect you, you will go now to learn their song, and will record it before the week is out if possible." The announcer said, insanely cheery, sparkling in the light with muscles gleaming everywhere, and Edward took a step back. "Then you will take time to decide which song, one of your own, or one of the band's, that you will perform at the concert next week." Before Edward could say a word the man named Ket smiled at Edward, shook his hand, and turned toward limo, waiting for Ed to follow. Edward's eyes flashed to Roy, who shrugged, then he slid into the plush limo.

The inside was coated in purple velvet, there was a TV, a mini fridge, too much… Edward sat on the seat facing the back and suddenly felt very small as one of the contest directors sat beside Ket across from him, and reached to hand him an envelope with the check for ten thousand in it.

The studio where Edward would learn the song was small, and simple, hidden in the edges of the city, and he sat on a stool, and read his part over and over. The simple fact was, in all technicalities, he already knew the song, and he wasn't sure whether he ought to say something, considering Ket's enthusiasm in trying to teach him the lyrics.

"Um…" He began when Ket paused for breath, "Can we…just run through it once, I think…it would help me." He knew once he sang it once he'd know it, because the words were in his head. Ket blinked, then nodded with a smile, and signaled for the music.

Edward stood in a separate booth from everyone, headphones on, lips parted slightly, ready to sing.

The song, he'd realized, was almost all him, it was showing off the new talent, and he wasn't sure if he liked that or not. But it was his time to sing.

"_This is my December…this is my time of the year, this is my December, this is oh so clear. _

_This is my December, this is my snow covered heart, this is my December, this is me alone._

_And I….._

_And I…._

_And I…._

_And I…._

_And I'd, give it all away, just to have somewhere to go to, give it all away, to have someone to come home to._

_This is my December, these are my snow covered trees, this is me pretending, this is all I need, _

_And I…"_

Ket's voice added its whispered intervals between.

"_Just wish that I didn't feel like there was something I missed,"_

"_And I…"_

"_Take back all the things I said to make you feel like that"_

"_And I…"_

"_Just wish that I didn't feel like there was something I missed,"_

"_And I…"_

"_Take back all the things that I said to you."_

"_And I'd give it all away, just to have somewhere to go to, give it all away, to have someone to come home to. _

_This is my December, this is my time of the year, this is my December, this is oh so clear!_

_Give it all away, just to have somewhere to go to, give it all away, to have someone to come home to, Give it all away, just to have somewhere to go to, give it all away, to have someone to come home to."_

Edward took a deep breath, calming himself, they were staring. He'd been there for a grand total of three hours, and knew the song by heart, golden eyes looked back at them bemused, and they suddenly smiled. He heard a soft whisper of "So perfect for that bastard Mustang." Before he reached them.

"So…I can go home now, right?" He asked, nibbling on his lip nervously, the man nodded, and he followed the director out to the limo.

"Look," Ket began, having followed Edward out, "We think…we'd like it if you'd come be in the music video, now that the song is recorded…I thought we could start on it as soon as that silly contest ends." Edward scratched the back of his head, and shrugged,

"Sure…" He said, trying to smile, "I'd like that."

"Ed…man, you're too talented to be getting famous through a contest." He clapped Ed on the shoulder, "And if you don't win, which we all think you will, there's a place for you in Linkage Elite." Ed stared, mouth gaping,

"Are you serious?!" He finally gasped,

"Dead serious, kid. We'd love to have you." Ket grinned, "And we've got your number now, so, you'll be hearing from us for the music video, kid." Ed nodded, awestruck as the limo pulled away.

Edward's eyes didn't get a chance to stop being wide and shocked, but fear was added in the mixture when he saw the crowd of screaming girls outside his house. The door to the limo opened, and police rushed in to push the girls apart so he could get inside. He felt like he was going to hyperventilate as he ran through the crowd to his door, and wrenched it open, slamming and locking it behind him. He leaned against the hard, but cool wood, and sighed. This was going to be a strange week.

(A/n: So, Any songs you imagine Ed, Roy, or Riza even singing? Send them to me in reviews, and I'll try and work them in, k?))


	12. Chapter 11: Take My Hand

A/N: Song 1: "Need you Now"- Lady Antebellum. Song 2: "All about us" T.A.T.U.

Chapter 11: Take my hand

Edward worked hard to finish the song Roy had inspired in sleep. His eyes had dark circles under them from all nighters, but he was running out of time, The concert was exactly four days away, his part of the song was finished, but he wanted Roy to sing with him, and the intertwining part had melody, but no words, except "And I need you now." Edward scratched his head, it was just after one o'clock, and he couldn't stop working, he played the melody again, chewing his lip.

He jumped when the contest issue cell phone buzzed in his pocket, and he lifted it hesitantly to his ear,

"Edo….?" Roy's voice murmured, Edward blinked,

"Yeah…what's up Roy? Do you know what time it is?" He glanced at the clock, but Roy responded,

"It's a quarter after one…I'm a little drunk and I…need you now." The sleek heart wrenching voice said, Edward's eyes widened,

"Um…come over, wait outside the front door, I have to write something down and I'll be right out." He hung up the phone, and filled in Roy's words, completely focused, ten minutes later he leaned back, read the words, and smiled. He tucked the notebook under his arm, and grabbed his bag, writing yet another note to his mother, and disappearing out the door.

Roy leaned against the wall outside, and Edward looked at him and smiled,

"It's a good thing those creepy girls are gone, they were making it impossible to get any work done." Ed said, still smiling, he suppressed a yawn. Roy reached out, brushing his fingers across the shadows under Ed's eyes,

"You look tired." Before they could say anything else flashing lights blinded them, Ed turned, "Shit Paparazzi!!" Roy yelled, "Take my hand!" He grabbed Ed's hand, turned, and ran, dragging the exhausted teen with him as cameras flashed and voices yelled out. Edward felt like he was falling into wonderland, flipping head over feet, he didn't know where they were going, and it surprised him greatly when they stopped, and Roy slammed a heavy metal door behind him. He pressed Ed against a wall, and laughed, pressing his forehead against Ed's.

"God, they're so obnoxious." He murmured, Ed blinked,

"What are they?" He asked, confused, Roy leaned back,

"Paparazzi, avid fans and photographers, trying to get candid shots of stars. And I'd say they got us pretty good, my hand was on your face." He sighed.

"Um…ok…Where are we?" Ed could barely see Roy's face in the darkness, and the door had sounded heavy. Roy's hand wandered in the dark, finding a light switch, and Ed blinked in the sudden light. "Whoa…" The light had revealed a large warehouse full of extremely expensive merchandise, "You don't think they'll follow us in here?" He asked, hearing voices outside,

"Well, technically it's against the law…but that hasn't stopped them before. Anyway, we're sure as hell gonna have trouble tomorrow, it'll be in all the magazines, 'Famous rock star seduces teenage boy' or something." Roy said, leading the way deeper into the warehouse, "Anyway, I have a present for you." He pushed aside a large empty crate, and held his hands out, "Tada!"

Edward froze. After a moment his flesh hand reached out and hesitantly brushed the keys of the grand piano in front of him, the ivory shone in the lights, and he skimmed his fingers over the black wood that made up the rest of the instrument in reverent awe.

"You got this for…me?" He murmured, looking up with shocked eyes to meet the near black of Roy's.

"Yeah…do you like it?" Edward swallowed, then threw his arms around Roy's neck, burying his face in Roy's chest,

"ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?! I LOVE IT!" He exclaimed, Roy smiled,

"Then…in exchange…play me something." He murmured in Ed's ear. The teen leaned back, smiling as well, and sat on the bench, pulling the folder of music from inside his bag he set the hastily scribbled words on the music holder next to the notes he'd hand written out.

"I just finished this…and I want… you to sing the harmony with me." He murmured, eyes flickering up to meet Roy's. He touched the first key.

They spent the rest of the night practicing, Roy learning Ed's song by heart, setting his tune, his harmony against Ed's soft, but captivating voice, he wondered if he were doing the right thing in trying to get Ed into his band, if he was just being selfish and wanted him under his control, or if… fear slid through him at the thought of losing Ed and he marveled at it as Edward's words left his mouth.

The day of the concert rolled around all too soon, Edward swallowed hard as he pulled on the clothes he would wear, red baggy pants with black straps all over them, a black T-shirt, he braided his hair to get it out of his face, and stepped outside. Screaming hit him from all sides, and he clenched his hands into fists as he strode down his lawn and slid into the limo that had come to pick him up.

The stage was huge, sprawling, and Edward tapped his foot nervously as he sat behind the curtains, waiting. The halfway mark came and went, stage hands carted his grand piano out onto the stage, and set it up, and the crowd was cheering. He stood, swallowing, and walked onto the stage, glad to see Roy standing on the lacquered wood, Edward took a deep breath, mind on the magazine that had come out with a picture of him and Roy on the cover, Roy's fingers on his face. He straightened, and slid onto the bench behind the piano, set his fingers on the keys, automail clacking slightly, and began to play. Immediately the crowd noise died down, and after a moment the other members started playing, and he began to sing.

"_Picture perfect memories scattered all around the floor,_

_Reaching for the phone 'cause I can't fight it anymore,_

_And I wonder if I ever cross your mind, for me it happens all the time,_

_It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now,_

_Said I wouldn't call but I lost all control and I need you now,_

_And I don't know how I can do without, I just need you now."_

Roy's voice rang out, and Edward's heart nearly stopped.

"_Another shot of whiskey, can't stop looking at the door,_

_Wishing you'd come sweeping in the way you did before,_

_And I wonder if I ever cross your mind, for me it happens all the time,_

_It's a quarter after one, I'm a little drunk and I need you now,_

_Said I wouldn't call but I lost all control and I need you now,_

_And I don't know how I can do without, I just need you now."_

Ed joined his voice back into the mix,

"_Whoa whoa, yes I'd rather hurt than feel nothing at all."_

The music fluttered around Edward, and he closed his eyes, and sang alone,

"_It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now,"_

Roy smiles at him, and sang his lines,

"_And I said I wouldn't call but I'm a little drunk and I need you now,"_

Edward grinned as he sang loud and clear the last lines with Roy's voice twining in a harmony with his, it felt right.

"_And I don't know how I can do without, I just need you now._

_I just need you now."_

Edward took a deep breath, and let his voice ring out with the very last line, all alone.

"_Oh baby I need you now…."_

Applause he wasn't fully expecting shattered the concert hall, he stood, bowed once, glanced at Roy, and walked off the stage. The area backstage was so calm after the hectic atmosphere of the stage, he sighed, and swung his legs over the side of a large cabinet he was sitting on top of, munching on a few snacks he had grabbed from the band's table, Edward waited as songs filtered through the curtain, loud and strong. Roy's voice attacked the mic, and Ed swayed with it's deeper tones, whispering harmonies. It was only when Riza's voice was the only one singing that Edward sat up straighter, paid more attention.

"_They say don't trust you, me, we us,_

_So we'll fall if we must, _

_Cause it's you, me and it's all about_

_It's all about us, it's all about us,_

_There's a thing that you can't touch _

'_cause you know it's all about us._

_It's all about us, it's all about us,_

_Run away if we must,_

'_cause you know it's all about us_

_If they hurt you, they hurt me too._

_So we'll rise up, won't stop_

_And it's all about, it's all about_

_It's all about us, it's all about us,_

_There's a thing that you can't touch _

'_cause you know it's all about us_

_It's all about us, it's all about us,_

_Run away if we must, _

'_cause you know it's all about us_

_They don't know, they can't see, _

_Who we are, fear is the enemy,_

_Hold on tight, hold on to me,_

'_cause tonight!!!_

_It's all about us, it's all about, all about us,_

_There's a thing that you can't touch _

'_cause you know it's all about us_

_It's all about us, it's all about us,_

_There's a thing that you can't touch _

'_cause you know it's all about us_

_It's all about us, it's all about us,_

_Run away if we must, _

'_cause you know it's all about us_

_It's all about us, _

_In your I can trust,_

_It's all about us." _

It was a beautiful song, the finale, and Edward grinned, this was a band he wanted to be a part of, suddenly it didn't matter that the whole world wanted them, because when Edward sang and played with them…he felt like he was with his family.

(And you thought I wasn't going to add a twist, silly fangirls.)

Pride Heidrich lay on his back on his living room floor, headphones snapped securely over his ears, music playing loudly, he had his golden eyes closed tight, extremely long hair flowing upward, where he'd swept it over his head, a pirated song playing in his ears, two male voices twining in harmonies, the contestant from Alchemist's of Flame. He'd never seen the boy's face, but he was a good musician, Pride's brother, Alfons Heidrich, had seen the concert, and had recorded the performance secretly, then ripped the sound off the combined track, and given it to Pride.

He sighed, the voice was familiar, if he sang along with it there was no grating, it just melded with his own.

"Ne, Pride, I have tickets to the contest ending, tonight, want to go?" Alfons was smirking down at him, Pride sat up, pulling his headphones off,

"What?" He yawned, Alfons rolled his eyes,

"Wanna come with me to the end of Alchemists of Flame's contest? It's tonight." Pride's eyes widened, shining gold, boring into the glowing blue of Alfons' eyes,

"I'd…I'd love to go!" He exclaimed adorably, Alfons patted his head,

"You have three hours, get ready, and we'll go." Pride's eyebrows pulled down at the undertone in Alfons' voice,

"You're hiding something." He said, Alfons grinned,

"Yup, and you'll find out what it is at the concert, oh, there's a rave after, the band is supposed to be there, play a techno song, you know? You game?" Pride nodded,

"Sure." He was a raver by nature, there was candy with 'Pride' on it on his wrists, in fact, Pride was his raver name, his real name was Edward.

Pride sifted through his clothes, pulling out a T-shirt, black with red designs, and pulling it on over the long sleeved net shirt he was already wearing. His pants were baggy, electric blue, with black straps criss crossing the back, and chains on the sides, he spent a time buckling the straps up the front of his knee high, six inch tall platform boots, then lay back on his head, wondering what to do with his hair.

It had been a few months since he'd been to a rave, and all he remember was being annoyed with his hair, as if suffocated him.

He sat up, pulling his brush through the hip-length strands, and deftly braiding them together, he hummed a tune while he worked his fingers through his golden hair, smiling at the electric blue streaks when his bangs fell from the braid and into his face, he wrapped a black hair tie around the end of the braid, and stood up, making sure his boots were buckled tight enough.

"Alfons! I'm ready to go!" The golden hair teen called, stepping out of his room, he looked around, "Alfons?"

Alfons' head peered out of his own room, and he grinned, "Good, we'll get there early." He said, leading the way out to his car, the seventeen trailed behind him.

Pride had lived with his older brother, Alfons who was twenty, for two years, as soon as Alfons had turned eighteen he'd pulled his little brother from the foster system and had been taking care of him ever since. It had suited his fancies just fine when he found that Pride was into raving, and only he knew the true story of Pride's birth.

The golden hair teen had been adopted by the Heidrichs soon after his birth, one of a set of twins, put up for adoption because the woman's husband said she couldn't keep them both. Alfons, being three at the time, hadn't understood why his parents had kept such close tabs on the Elric family, and when they died, the ten year old Alfons had diligently kept following the Elrics' story.

He had received a shock the first time he had seen Edward Elric, strange that his parents named their son the same name as Ed's parents did. It had been seven year to the day, and his brother had grown exactly the same as the Elric kid, who now had a younger brother named Alphonse. It was time for them to know.

_((A/N: So….review, tell me what you think of my twist, I'll understand if you don't, but I really hope you do.))_


	13. Chapter 12: The Only Exception

A/N: Song 1: "Jillian" by Within Temptation, song 2: "Angel of darkness" by Yasmin, song 3: "When I grow up" By Mayday Parade.

Chapter 12: The Only Exception

Edward read the rules of the last challenge, chewing his lip, he'd read them several times since the concert, but he still worried that he'd gotten it wrong some how, and written the song wrong. He swallowed as he shuffled the photo-copied sheet music into stacks for the band, he'd worked hard on the song, it had taken a lot out of him.

He'd practiced with the hired orchestra, they had it down good, and he wasn't worried about that, or the group of overeager choir girls he'd coerced into singing with him for it, those were the rules, work with strangers, make something of a finale, something big. He'd done that, really done that, in his mind it wasn't good enough, but he was out of time.

Edward sighed, sitting backstage with the Orchestra members and the four choir girls as the first contestant played something weak. It was his turn. He watched the chairs get set for the Orchestra, the girls climbed onto the small raised ledge to prepare, and Ed stood next to the mic behind the curtains, waiting.

Pride Heidrich stood beside his brother, who kept nudging him, "The one you like is next." Alfons said, Pride blinked, nodded,

"Alright." He murmured, "I'm not gonna fall asleep or anything." He grumbled when Alfons nudged him again, "Stoppit!" But the opening strains of music had begun, and Alfons was focused on stage, female voices rang out, loud music, orchestra music, played from behind the curtain, getting louder, then Electric guitar ripped through it, and only added to the beauty.

Edward watched the curtains swing out, closed his eyes, pulled his fingers across the strings, and began to sing.

"_I've been dreaming for so long,_

_to find a meaning to understand._

_The secret of life,_

_why am I here to try again?_

_Will I always, will you always_

_see the truth when it stares you in the face?_

_Will I ever, will I never free myself_

_by breaking these chains?_

_I'd give my heart, I'd give my soul._

_I'd turn it back, it's my fault._

_Your destiny is forlorn,_

_have to live till it's undone._

_I'd give my heart, I'd give my soul._

_I'd turn it back and then at last I'll be on my way._

_I've been living for so long,_

_many seasons have passed me by._

_I've seen kingdoms through ages_

_rise and fall, I've seen it all._

_I've seen the horror, I've seen the wonders_

_happening just in front of my eyes._

_Will I ever, will I never free myself by making it right?_

_I'd give my heart, I'd give my soul._

_I'd turn it back, it's my fault._

_Your destiny is forlorn,_

_have to live till it's undone._

_I'd give my heart, I'd give my soul._

_I'd turn it back and then at last I'll be on my way._

_Jillian our dream ended long ago._

_All our stories and all our glory I held so dear._

_We won't be together_

_for ever and ever, no more tears._

_I'll always be here until the end._

_Jillian, no more tears_

_Jillian, no more tears_

_I'd give my heart, I'd give my soul._

_I'd turn it back, it's my fault._

_Your destiny is forlorn,_

_have to live till it's undone._

_I'd give my heart, I'd give my soul._

_I'd turn it back and then at last I'll be on my way."_

Golden eyes lifted open, flickered around the hall, missing his counterpart by mere feet, and not noticing as Pride stared upward in shock, Alfons grabbed his shoulder, cheering, and Edward pulled away from the mic, his braid, barely past his shoulder blades, swung as he bowed, turned, and walked off the stage.

Pride stared after him, "Alfons…he looks…just like me…" He exclaimed as Edward swept off the stage, Alfons leaned closer to his brother,

"He's your brother, you were adopted, Pride…he's your twin." Pride stared at him,

"T-Twin?" His eyes were wide, several people were watching them,

"Yeah, Edward Elric…and Edward Heidrich." Alfons murmured, "Now, they're announcing the winner."

Edward chewed on his lip, waiting, it was the end, and if he didn't win, so what, he'd find something to do with himself, he was sure… The announcer stepped on stage, held his arms up, smiled, and opened the envelope,

"The band and judges have deliberated, and decided upon a winner." He said into the mic, the hall was deathly silent, "And the winner is…" Pause for effect, Edward's heart pounded hard in his chest, "EDWARD ELRIC!" He felt hands push on him, stepped onto the stage, panting for breath, shocked into silence, he stood before the mic, a grin split his features as the crowd roared its approval, and yelled "Thank you!" Into the mic. He stepped back as the stage was transformed, instruments brought out, and Edward set his fingers on his keyboard, playing alone, for the crowd, he set a pre-made beat, and began to sing.

"_Angel of darkness, angel of darkness, _

_The world is in your hands, _

_But I fight until the end,_

_Angel of darkness, angel of darkness,_

_Don't follow your command,_

_But I will fight and I will stand."_

"When darkness falls, pain is all, the angel of darkness will leave behind,

But I will fight." He whispered, not singing, but it added to the song as he forcefully panted into the mic, before singing again.

"_The love is lost, beauty and light,_

_Have vanished from garden of delight,_

_The dreams are gone, midnight has come,_

_The darkness is out new kingdom. _

_Angel of darkness, angel of darkness, _

_The world is in your hands, _

_But I fight until the end,_

_Angel of darkness, angel of darkness,_

_Don't follow your command,_

_But I will fight and I will stand." _

A lull in the singing, his fingers stabbing the keyboard, electronic beats and sounds fluttering around the hall in a flurry, people swayed.

"The hunt goes on deep in the night, time to pray down on your knees, you can't hide from the eternal light, until my last breath I will fight." These words were whispered as well, followed once more by gasping breath in the mic, then he raised his voice and sang once more.

"_Now realize, the stars they die,_

_Darkness has fallen in paradise,_

_But we'll be strong and we will fight,_

_Against the creatures of the night._

_Angel of darkness, angel of darkness, _

_The world is in your hands, _

_But I fight until the end,_

_Angel of darkness, angel of darkness,_

_Don't follow your command,_

_But I will fight and I will stand._

_Yeah, yeah!!" _

Edward leaned back, he had captivated the crowd while the rest of the band set up, ready to begin playing for the rave, chairs were cleared from the amphitheater, and people prepared to dance, bags were stowed in corners, flashing lights turned on, and Edward slung his guitar strap over his shoulder, prepared to sing the song he had learned from Roy, he pulled his fingers across the string, leaned into the mic, Roy beside him, holding another mic, but Edward was the main attraction. Despite that fact, Roy started out, obviously singing about Ed.

"_Boys call you sexy, and you don't care what they say,_

_See every time you turn around they're screaming your name"_

Roy's voice ended, and Edward stepped forward, fingers on strings, and began his part.

"_Now I've got a confession, when I was young I wanted attention,_

_And I promised myself that I'd do anything,_

_Anything at all for them to notice me._

_But I ain't complaining, _

_We all wanna be famous,_

_So go ahead and say what you wanna say,_

_Don't know what it's like to be nameless,_

_Want um to know what your name is,_

_But see when I was younger I would say!_

_When I grow up I wanna be famous, _

_I wanna be a star,_

_I wanna be in movies, _

_When I grow up, Wanna see the world,_

_Drive nice cars, I wanna have rubies,_

_When I grow up, be on TV,_

_People know me, _

_Be on magazines, _

_When I grow up fresh and clean, _

_Number one boy when I step out on the scene._

_Now be careful what you wish for,_

_Cause you just might get it,_

_You just might get it,_

_You just might get it,_

_Be careful what you wish for cause you just might get it,_

_You just might get it._

_Used to tell me I was silly,_

_Until I popped up on the tv, _

_I always wanted to be a super star,_

_Who knew that singing song would get me this far._

_When I grow up I wanna be famous, _

_I wanna be a star,_

_I wanna be in movies, _

_When I grow up, Wanna see the world,_

_Drive nice cars, I wanna have rubies,_

_When I grow up, be on TV,_

_People know me, _

_Be on magazines, _

_When I grow up fresh and clean, _

_Number one boy when I step out on the scene._

_Now be careful what you wish for,_

_Cause you just might get it,_

_You just might get it,_

_You just might get it,_

_Be careful what you wish for cause you just might get it,_

_You just might get it._

_I see them staring at me,_

_Ooh I'm a trend setter,_

_Yes it's true cause what I can do _

_No-one can do it better,_

_You can talk about me_

_Cause I'm hot shot now,_

_I see you watching me watching me_

_And I know you want it! _

_When I grow up I wanna be famous, _

_I wanna be a star,_

_I wanna be in movies, _

_When I grow up, Wanna see the world,_

_Drive nice cars, I wanna have rubies,_

_When I grow up, be on TV,_

_People know me, _

_Be on magazines, _

_When I grow up fresh and clean, _

_Number one boy when I step out on the scene_

_Now be careful what you wish for,_

_Cause you just might get it,_

_You just might get it,_

_You just might get it,_

_Be careful what you wish for cause you just might get it,_

_You just might get it" _

Edward smiled as cheering broke out, he could see a flash of gold in the audience, a long braid whirling around a lithe body, and he dragged his eyes away, looking at Roy, who was smiling back,

"Now, let's go join the part." Roy shouted, grinning as the DJ struck up the first intense techno song, and Edward recognized his voice,

"How the hell?!" He asked as Roy pulled him off the stage, and the other band members, equipped with candy and glow sticks, followed them and slipped away into the crowds. Roy lifted his arm, covered from wrist to elbow in glow sticks, and slid a few onto Edward's wrists, then a large hoop of glowing light around his neck,

"They recorded the contest." Roy yelled in way of explanation, "Now dance with your fans!" Roy vanished into the crowd, leaving a confused Edward in the middle of a group of dancers, who seemed to only want to touch him. He began to weave through them, dancing when he had room, swaying with the masses, until he backed into a dance ring on accident, and found eyes on him from every direction, he shrugged, and began to turn in the center, eyes closed, doing moves he'd only done for Russell, then a back hit his, and moved with him, and he let it.

It was as if they were one person, both with eyes closed, feeling the beat, and the whole circle was cheering, gasping in shocked awe, and Edward opened his eyes as the song faded into another song, and he found his eyes locked with…his eyes.

Gold clashed with gold, locked into a gaze neither could look away from, and Pride Heidrich found his heart pounding.


	14. Chapter 13: The Fatal Meeting

Chapter 13: The fatal meeting

"I…" Both teens started at the same time, and Pride laughed, looking Edward up and down, "We're like…mirror images." He said, pointing at their clothes, Edward was swathed in red, and Pride was wearing blue. "Opposites…"

Edward swallowed, "I…who are you?"

Pride blinked, then grinned,

"I'm Edward Heidrich…my friends call me Pride." He explained, winking, and tapping his own chest with his thumb, his braid, which reached past his waist, got caught on his arm.

"I-I'm Edward Elric…" Ed offered, holding out his hand shakily,

"My brother, Alfons, tells me…that we're really brothers, you and I…but I'm not sure…I mean, I have a freckle right here, and you don't." He touched Edward's throat, his finger accidentally pulled the edge of Ed's shirt down, revealing a small but dark bite mark.

"I…my mom…would've…told me…" Pride shook his head at Edward's faltering voice,

"Nah, I mean…Alfons said her husband made her give me up…we're supposedly twins." Edward took a deep, shuddering breath,

"I don't know what to say…" He stared at Pride, and Pride stared back, and the circle of dancers hooted and cheered at them,

"For now…let's relax and enjoy the rave, it's a pretty crappy one at that, only lasts till two AM…" Ed nodded at Pride's words, and they began to dance together, as if drawn together like magnets.

Roy watched Edward leave the rave at two, his dark eyes watched a long golden braid swing behind another achingly familiar body, and a taller light blond man led the two outside.

"Bye Roy!" Edward called, turning to wave, "I'll see you day after tomorrow for first rehearsal!" And then he was gone.

The car ride was awkward. Edward and Pride sat together in the back seat, trying not to stare at each other, and when Edward slid out of the car Pride followed. They were lucky, the fan girls were still raving, they had time to reach the door. Edward unlocked it and opened it, only to see his mother sitting in the kitchen, a bottle in her hands, she didn't look up. He bit his lip, eyebrows pulling down, and strode toward her, "Mom…?" He shook her and her loving eyes, muddled by alcohol, looked up at him,

"Edo..-kun…" She whispered, petting his bangs back from his face, he swallowed and pulled away,

"Mom…think clearly…ok? Did I have a twin?" Trisha shook her head as if trying to clear it,

"What…hun…?" He clenched his hands into fists when she slurred the question,

"Did I have a twin?!" Her eyes widened at his raised voice, and then she looked over his shoulder at Pride, and gasped,

"Oh!" She sobered a little, "I…I never thought…I'd see you again…" Edward dropped to his knees, shocked, as she shook herself and pulled Pride into her arms, "Oh…oh, I missed you!" Pride stiffened at her touch, and Alfons sighed from the doorway, it would be hard for them to get used to.

Edward dragged himself to his feet, and walked away, up the stairs, blank eyed, and flopped on his bed. He jerked back, muffling a scream when he felt something on it already, and found himself peering into Alphonse's sleepy eyes,

"You're home…I left…early, was tired." Al murmured, rubbing his eyes, Ed pulled him up and hugged him,

"Yeah…I got a real shock today…we have a brother…" Alphonse's eyes widened,

"We do?!" Ed nodded,

"Yeah…his friends call him Pride…he's downstairs…" He clarified, Alphonse jumped up, suddenly wide awake,

"I wanna meet him!" He scurried toward the stairs, and paused, waiting for Edward to follow. Ed stood slowly, and ambled after his younger brother.

When they got downstairs Trisha was gone, up to her room to sleep off the alcohol, Edward watched as Alphonse stared at Pride, and Pride stared back,

"So…you're my little brother?" Pride finally gasped, and Alphonse tackled him,

"Yup, and you're…Ed's twin?!" Pride nodded,

"We actually have the same name." Alphonse's eyes widened,

"Really? Cool!" Edward leaned against the wall, watching as his little brother played with the end of Pride's extremely long braid, and traced scars on his wrists that matched up with Edward's almost perfectly. Edward lunged forward, and grabbed Pride's arm,

"You too…you tried too, didn't you?!" He held up his own bandaged arm, ripping the gauze away and comparing the nearly healed wound to the long scar on Pride's arm, Pride swallowed,

"I…yeah…while I was in foster care, a few years back…" Edward shook his head, tracing the pale pattern of scars that made ladder-rungs up Pride's arm,

"No…these are more recent…a few weeks…" He whispered, Pride's eyes widened with horror, and Alfons grabbed his shoulder,

"Pride, you promised." Pride flinched, and Edward smacked Alfons' hands away,

"You…what time? When?!" He demanded, Pride stared at him,

"I…the day of the first official contest for that…thing you just won…" He whimpered, Edward stared at him,

"Me too…" They swallowed in unison, then hugged each other, "So…" Ed began,

"We were…" Pride added,

"Channeling each other." Edward finished. The two other boys stared at them, and they pulled apart quickly, firing questions at each other,

"Do you sing?"

"Can you play violin?"

"Kind of,"

"Yes,"

"Broke my leg when I was-,"

"Six climbing an old tree-,"

"Branch broke." Edward laughed, "Only bone I've broken besides my ribs." Pride nodded, and they simply stared once more.

"Pride, we have to go home…that woman comes tomorrow…well, today." Pride looked up at Alfons, and sighed,

"I…I'll come back in the evening, ok?" Edward nodded, and Pride stood with a jingle of chains and straps, and flounced out the door with Alfons on his heels.

"Do you think he'll come back tomorrow?" Alphonse asked, turning his head to look at Edward,

"I hope so…" Was Ed's response, "They didn't even leave a phone number."

The next morning dawned bright and clear, Edward leaned over his piano in a daze, the grand wouldn't fit in his room, so it was still at Roy's, and Edward was too. He let his fingers slide across the keys, tap out new tunes, just fiddled with it waiting for Roy to return from some errand. When the front door opened, Ed looked up,

"Hello?" A female voice called, "Roy?" Edward stood up, and ambled into the front room,

"Hi…uh, Roy's not here…" He murmured at the fiery red headed woman who was peering in the door, she had a key in her hand,

"Oh…I didn't know anyone else would be here… Roy gave me a key, he told me to come by today." She sounded proud of the fact, Ed felt his eyebrows pull down,

"I…he didn't say anything to me about it…" He muttered, feeling confused,

"Oh, well I'll just come back later…" She said, as she turned back to the door Roy opened it and walked in,

"Ah, Carrie, I told you to come in the evening." He said, eyes flashing,

"I just couldn't wait to see you." She said meekly, Edward's eyes widened,

"Come back after six." Roy said, nodding to her,

"Ok!" She sounded so enthusiastic, and she rushed past him to leave.

Roy shrugged, and pulled Edward into his arms,

"She works at a nearby flower shop," Roy explained, "It was going to be a surprise…I was going to fill this room with flowers and presents for you because you won." Ed didn't know what to believe.

"A-Alright…" He whispered, Roy lifted his chin and kissed him,

"Now…why don't we spend some time in my room?"

Edward yawned as he walked toward his house, his lower body ached a little, but that was to be expected after so long without doing anything, Roy had been…amazing, simply amazing. He shook his head, trying to focus as he rounded the last corner, and took a running leap at the wall behind his house, vaulting over it to walk through the yard and the back door. He slumped in a chair in the living room, and sighed happily, he had all but forgotten the woman from that morning, still caught in the glow of having finally done something with Roy.

He jumped when someone with long gold hair flopped next to him in the oversized arm chair, then smiled,

"Hey, Pride, how long have you been here?" His eyes traveled over his twin, noting the rainbow bracelet on Pride's wrist, and the spiked collar around his slender throat,

"A few minutes…Al let me in…it's so strange to have a little brother…" Pride yawned, "I barely got any sleep last night…stupid child services woman…" He leaned his head on Ed's shoulder, closing his eyes, "Mind if I…?" He didn't finish.

Edward smiled, "I don't mind." He whispered as Pride's breathing evened out.

The next six months passed mostly uneventfully, the band prepared for a tour of the States, taught Edward all their new songs, and he spent half his free time with Pride, learning as much about him as he could, and the other half with Roy, when he wasn't busy.

On February third, Trisha threw Edward and Pride a huge joint birthday party, though she wasn't entirely present for it, and the two ended up starting a food fight with their cake. Afterward Edward sat in his new room, in their new house, which he had paid for with his signing bonus, and set his fingers to the sleek keys of his new lap top. He sighed, writing was hard for him now, he couldn't think, he was always learning new songs, and being asked to write this song to this tune they'd already found… He clicked the window closed and opened a browser, checking his email.

Re:cake smash. The email said, Edward opened it, and laughed.

_Ed, I'm bored. It took me hours to get that cake out of my hair. I've been working on a book recently, you're the main character, but you're…rather different in it. _

Ed blinked, Pride had been writing?

_It's called "Fullmetal Alchemist," And it's…more a comic than a book…wanna come read the first few chapters sometime? _

_-Pride._

Ed chewed on his lip, then typed a reply,

_Pride, I'd love to read it… don't know when I'll have time though, so I'll email you when I do, our tour starts in three days… I'm nervous. Mom's not doing too well, you could probably tell from how she acted at the party… I'm worried about her, will you and Alfons come stay with her while I'm gone? _

_-Edward. _

He hit the send button, and leaned back, "About me…huh?" He rolled his neck, and closed his computer down, looking around his room, with it's blackout curtains, a book shelf filled with science books, and a black desk behind which he sat. Simplistic, but…right for him. He pushed back, and stood, pulling out his cell phone and dialing Roy's number. The machine picked up.

"Hey Roy, it's Ed…I was wondering if I could come over…call me back, k?" He hung up and flopped on his queen sized bed, rumpling the blankets, and staring at the ceiling, what could Roy be doing that he wouldn't answer the phone? Doubt niggled at the back of his mind, they'd been together six months, shouldn't he trust Roy more?

He stood up, redialing, this time Roy answered, sounding out of breath,

"Hey," Roy's voice said,

"Hi, I…it's Ed, I…can I come over?" A pause on Roy's end, heavy breathing, "What are you doing?"

"Nothin', moving something heavy, sure you can come over, gimme twenty minutes to finish what I'm doing." Edward's eyebrows pulled down,

"Ah, ok…see you soon…" He muttered into the phone, the call ended, and he stared at the screen blankly before closing it and tucking it back in his pocket.


	15. Chapter 15

https:/ docs. google. com/document/ d/1K7uHlqPbJ9kWyl3 eROObDQZIqXSYvq9xlreFxpSiwRM/ edit?hl=en_GB

Hello fans of Paralyzer, there are a lot of you, aren't there? You're probably wondering why this isn't a chapter, and what that link at the top if for, if it shows up *rolls eyes* Remove the spaces, click it, and watch the next chapter of Paralyzer as I type it out, word by word. There'll be an open chat, you can tell me what you think, what you like, what you don't like, in real time. So, I hope you all enjoy watching chapter 15 of Paralyzer unfold. -Spyre


	16. Chapter 15: Secrets

Chapter 15: Secrets

"Roy?" Edward called out quietly, he'd been unable to wait as long as Roy had insisted he should, and he was currently peering through the open door. "...Hello?" Silence greeted him, and he stepped inside, wincing, the door had been unlocked, it wasn't really breaking and entering... So why was he tiptoeing forward like a thief? He shook himself, edging toward Roy's bedroom, where a tiny sliver of light shown through the crack like a tantalizing beacon.

Wetting his lips nervously, ears straining for any sound, Ed paused. He did hear...something, but what was it? A soft...slapping sound, and...was that grunting? His hands clenched into fists, and he nudged the door open another inch, swallowing as the bed was slowly revealed. Edward's teeth clenched when he saw the tangle of pale limbs on the bed, the unmistakable scent of sex reaching his nose, he felt sick to his stomach as Roy pounded the slender brunette female into the mattress. Without another thought, Edward turned and ran.

He didn't know where he was going, wasn't paying attention to the houses flying past, the unimportant street names, the buildings. None of it mattered as tears brimmed in his eyes, and he struggled to keep them from spilling over and revealing his hurt. His feet pounded the pavement, hair flying out behind him, his breathing was erratic, pained, showing in clouds in front of his face as the night grew cold around him. He didn't stop until he fell, tripping over a tree root which had broken the sidewalk, the breath left him in a whoosh, and he choked as his knee slammed into the ground, and his cheek scraped across the gravel.

"...shit..." He whimpered, sitting up slowly, aches flaring through him, he leaned against the offensive tree, but he had no strength left for anger or embarrassment as the pain of what Roy had done ripped through his chest, leaving him shaking. The first tear rolled down his cheek from his agonized eyes, and he felt it, as though through a haze, slide down his throat. Swallowing, he pulled his knees to his chest, and buried his face in the fabric of his new jeans, he had rehearsal the next day, but how could he face the man who'd done this? A shudder wracked his form, and he heard a pained sound escape his throat, and before he knew it he was sobbing, unable to stop.

"...I know, I know!" Pride called back to Alfons, who was shouting instructions at his back, "Will you stop? I know how to take the garbage out!" As he settled the large can against the curb, Pride heard a soft sound and froze, turning, "...holy...Ed...?" He forgot about the can as he rushed to the side of the boy sitting against their tree. "Ed, are you alright?" He grasped his brother's shoulders, and the teen stirred, staring up at him,

"...a-alright...?" He whispered, shaking slightly, his eyes glazed suddenly with tears and he shook his head, "No...I'm not...I'm not alright..."

"What happened?" Pride gripped Edward's hand, pulling him up, "Come inside, you're shaking." Edward sniffed, rubbing his hands over his face before letting Pride pull him past Alfons into the house. "Ed, what happened?" He repeated when there was no answer, his twin simply slumped onto their couch and stared at the wall blankly. Alfons raised an eyebrow, but sighed,

"I think I can guess, at least partially. Don't let him leave, Pride, I'll call Al, and make some tea." He slipped out of the room, and Edward slouched lower into the cushions, nothing seemed to get his attention, and so Pride gave up, and gave the only comfort he could. Ed blinked when his twin cuddled into his side, wrapping warm arms around him. He shuddered, but Pride held him tightly,

"Whatever it is, I'm sorry..." Pride whispered, "I'm sorry you're hurting..." His eyes burned with sadness, and he felt Ed shift again as he began to cry,

"Wh-why are you c-crying?" Ed sounded confused,

"B-because...you're sad." Pride's voice was quiet, and he clung to Edward as if it were his heart that was broken,

"...that's silly," Ed croaked, but he found himself running his hand through Pride's hair comfortingly, regardless.

"...please tell me...? Is Al alright? And Mom?" Ed nodded shakily, chewing his lip,

"They're fine...I...it's not to do with them...it's...R-Roy..." Pride stiffened,

"What did he do?" He grimaced, "I knew he was rotten!"

"...right...rotten..." Edward swallowed thickly, lip trembling, tears slipping free again, though he'd thought he'd run out of tears during the night, "...he...he cheated...he...they were...in...in his bed...and..." He choked on the last word, and fell silent.

"You saw them?" His voice was hushed, Pride's eyes were wide, boring into Ed's,

"...y-yes..." Ed whimpered, shaking again,

"Oh...oh, Ed..." Pride hugged him closer, stroking his hair and rocking him slightly, "And you came here?" He was surprised when his twin shook his head, "But...you were outside...?"

"...didn't know I...was here..." Edward bit his lip, trying to figure out how to explain it, "...I ran...that damn tree tripped me." The tiny glimpse of Ed's usual fire calmed Pride somewhat, at least there was still hope for his twin. "...I have rehearsal.." Pride grimaced, pushing Ed back onto the couch and clinging to him,

"No you don't, you're skipping." His expression brooked no argument, and Edward slumped, chewing on his lip, "You know as well as I that you suck at singing when you've been crying." Edward grimaced,

"...true." He admitted, his nose was stuffy from crying, and it ruined his singing voice, or so he'd been told. Pride snorted,

"But then, who is?" He got a smile for his troubles, and that helped, Edward swallowed, pressing the painful emotions back as his twin cheered him up,

"No one, except the altered." Alfons stepped into the living room in time to hear that,

"Altered?" He asked, eyebrows raised,

"Digitally altered voices," Ed and Pride chorused, then burst out laughing. A quiet, polite knock interrupted them, and Ed glanced up, eyes worried, the laughter dying in seconds. Alfons peered through their peephole, then opened the door, admitting the younger Elric, who threw himself into his brother's arms immediately,

"Where've you been? Mom's been worried sick!" He admonished while hugging Ed fiercely.

"...I'm sorry, Alphonse," Edward murmured, "...I...I went to see Roy, and...things didn't go well..." He took a few deep breaths, "I ended up here, how's mom?" He switched into big-brother mode in seconds, "Have you eaten? When was the last time you brushed your hair?" Al's nose wrinkled,

"Brother!" He whined, pushing Ed's hands away, "Yes, I've eaten, and I brushed it this morning! Stop it!" Ed's hands stilled, and he smiled softly,

"Sorry...just being sure."

"I'm not incompetent, I can cook for myself now." Alphonse grunted, fixing his hair, Ed shook his head, his own braid was bedraggled and full of sticks and bits of bark. "And you're one to talk about hair." Alphonse knew that Edward would talk to him when he was ready, and for now he would act as if nothing had happened. "Come here," Al pushed at Edward until he was settled on the floor, and the younger boy carefully picked the debris from Ed's hair, and smoothed the golden blond locks, before plaiting it neatly down his spine.

"It's settled, you two stay here today, we'll bake and you can look at those pages I told you about, Ed!" Edward raised an eyebrow at Pride's outburst,

"...bake?"


End file.
